Judge: Vucic Has to Submit Evidence of Eavesdropping

Aleksandar Stepanovic ( (BETAPHOTO/MILOS MISKOV)

Aleksandar Stepanovic, the president of the Higher Court in Belgrade, has said that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic is required to submit any evidence he may have which support his eavesdropping claims.

“If the president is in possession of evidence that point to a felony, he is required, like any other citizen, to submit them to the competent prosecutor’s office and press criminal charges against the known or unknown perpetrators, if there is reasonable suspicion that a criminal offence prosecutable ex officio has been committed,” Stepanovic stated for the Jan. 21 issue of the NIN weekly.

The judge added that the holders of public offices are actually using certain media outlets to encourage targeting their opponents, rather than to “draw attention to the fact that the right to the freedom of expression of every citizen has to be protected.”

He believes that tabloids are being used to pressure and influence the judiciary. “Looking at the politicians’ statements [in the tabloids], one gets a feeling that judges and prosecutors are expected to act in a certain way,” Stepanovic said.

According to the Jan. 21 issue of the Vecernje Novosti daily, around 50 individuals have been questioned as part of the preliminary investigation on the illegal surveillance of the Serbian president.