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Vucic's brother loses trial over Sky wiretapping, forced to pay costs

Vucic's brother loses trial over Sky wiretapping, forced to pay costs

 

The Basic Court in Podgorica has dismissed Andrej Vučić's lawsuit against the Montenegrin daily newspaper "Vijesti", its editor-in-chief and a crime columnist, as well as a journalist, finding that the publication of the Sky app intercepts, in which the Serbian president's brother is mentioned, was in the public interest. This is reported by the Croatian newspaper "Jutarnji list".

The court concluded that Vučić is a public figure and active participant in the political life of Serbia, and therefore must tolerate a higher degree of criticism and public interest than private persons.

Through the lawsuit, Vučić sought 5,000 euros in damages for violation of honor, reputation and dignity, as well as the deletion of the text titled "Zvonko and Andrej celebrated the billion...", published on January 23, 2024, as well as the publication of the court decision on the portal at the editor-in-chief's expense.

The court dismissed all his claims and ordered him to pay the defendants a little over 3,400 euros in court costs. In the text that was the subject of the dispute, “Vijesti” had quoted parts of “secret” communications on “Sky” between fugitive policeman Ljubo Milović and Miloš Božović from Nikšić, which mention the security services of Montenegro and Serbia, criminal clans, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, his brother Andrej, as well as Serbian businessman from Kosovo Zvonko Veselinović.

According to the court, the removal of the text could produce a serious “chilling effect” - an effect of intimidation and deterrence - and would lead to a situation where journalists and editors in the future would avoid reporting on sensitive topics for fear of similar consequences. It was assessed that such a practice would be “a serious problem for democracy and freedom of expression” and would discourage the media and other actors from speaking out on matters of public interest.

The Sky wiretaps between former Montenegrin policeman Milović and Miloš Božović suggest that in criminal circles, Andrej Vučić and Zvonko Veselinović were perceived as key figures of political-criminal power in Serbia.

The messages mention alleged links to fan groups, security services, the team of notorious Serbian criminal Velko Belivuk, and businesses in northern Kosovo, including the claim that they "celebrated the first billion euros."

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