Minister Selakovic Arrives at Prosecutor’s Office for Questioning

Nikola Selakovic (BETAPHOTO/MILOS MISKOV)

Serbian Minister of Culture Nikola Selakovic arrived at the Public Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime on Dec. 3, after the Office ordered the police to bring him in for questioning. Selakovic is a suspect in the investigation regarding the illegal removal of national heritage status from the former Army of Serbia General Staff Building, which was largely destroyed during the 1999 NATO bombing of what was then the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Selakovic appeared at the Prosecutor’s Office of his own accord, accompanied by Vladimir Djukanovic, a fellow member of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party who will serve as his legal counsel, and told the press he would give a statement and answer all questions posed to him.

“I’ve arrived with my attorney. I’ll give any statement [necessary], answer all questions, but also debunk this entire politically-staged farce, whose exclusive goal is for President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic to be brought here. Because destabilizing Serbia, changing the regime without elections, is their only goal,” the minister claimed.

Although the Prosecutor’s Office ordered the police to bring Selakovic in for questioning because he failed to appear at his scheduled Nov. 28 summons and did not explain his absence, Selakovic maintains that, when he was summoned, “he properly notified the prosecutor’s office” he would arrive when he did on Dec. 3.

Selakovic previously came to the Prosecutor’s office on Dec. 2 in the company of pro-regime media, but allegedly could not be questioned since he arrived shortly before the end of operating hours. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, however, Selakovic did not give a statement on Dec. 2 or 3 because his hearing was scheduled for another day and both of his appearances were self-initiated.

On Dec. 3, however, Selakovic did accept an official summons for Dec. 4, voiding the need for police involvement, and promised to attend the scheduled hearing.