20. 04. 2015

Veran Matic receives death threats

20.4.2015. (Blic, B92) - BELGRADE -- B92's Editor-in-Chief Veran Matic has received death threats over the broadcaster's reporting about the arrival of the Holy Fire during Easter holidays.

The Belgrade-based Blic newspaper writes that Matic, who is also the chairman of a government commission set up to investigate murders of journalists, received the threat sent from the email address nemanjaristic88881@gmail.com on April 14.

The threatening letter was signed by Nemanja Ristic.

The email addressed Matic as "an infidel and a CIA collaborator" who "gave himself the right to write negatively about the arrival the Holy Fire."

"As soon as a state of war has been declared, you will be arrested and sentenced to the maximum sentence provided by law, which means you will be executed by the Army of Serbia on the orders of the state leadership," reads the message.

Nemanja Ristic confirmed for the daily that he had sent the threatening message to Matic.

"It's not a threat, but rather information. His execution will be ordered because there will be a state of emergency due to a conflict with the United States, Britain, Germany... I sent messages and phoned others as well, all these traitors, Boris Tadic, Cedomir Jovanovic... I was interviewed by the police because of that," Ristic said.

The legal team of B92 filed a criminal complaint before the Higher Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade the same day the message was received. It was submitted as evidence and a request filed to launch an investigation.

In 2011, the police made a security assessment and assigned protection to Matic.

He has repeatedly received threats, and this has intensified since he was appointed to head the commission investigating murders of journalists.