28. 09. 2006

ĆURUVIJA CASE NEARS END

BELGRADE, September 28, 2006. (Politika) - According to Slobodan Radovanović, the police have uncovered exactly what happened on the day journalist Slavko Ćuruvija was murdered. “It is a matter of days before the citizens of Serbia will hear who committed the crime and why, who fired the shots, and who was watching and who offered logistical help and why the murder of Ćuruvija took seven years to solve.” Special Prosecutor Slobodan Radovanović told daily Politika. According to the daily, the answers to these questions are already known and the names of the perpetrators will be released to the public shortly, in addition to a legal process against those responsible for the murder of Ćuruvija. Ćuruvija, the editor-in-chief and owner of the Dnevni Telegraf daily and Evropljanin weekly, was killed on April 11, 1999, on Easter, in the building in Svetogorska Street in which he lived. According to information that is already well-known, he was being followed by agents of the Serbian Secret Police that day. “In the pre-criminal process, police confirmed what happened that day and where everyone was. However, the problem is finding the evidence that we need to take these people to court. We are now finishing that part and will let the public know as soon as we uncover everything.” Radovanović said. The case is still classified as a national secret, which means that it is in the interest of the investigation to have the suspects’ names concealed. An unofficial source close to the police told Politika that those responsible for the murder of the well-known journalist were members of the former Security Services. Some of the direct culprits are now deceased and this is what is making the investigation difficult, according to the source. However, some of the suspects are available and will be charged for the murder as soon as possible. Radovanović denied the media speculation that the murder of Ćuruvija was “solved” by Dejan “Bugsy” Milenković, a witness-associate in the trial for the assassination of prime minister Zoran Đinđić. Even if the trial never happens, the Serbian public will be made aware of the circumstances behind the journalist’s death. “In that case, we will open up the files and state everything we know about the Ćuruvija murder and why we cannot begin an investigation. We owe this to the people of Serbia because the reforms of the Serbian legal system depend on it.” Radovanović said. The police source claims that the case could have been solved a lot quicker. “A great mistake of the Saber action was that Radomir Marković, the former chief of the National Security Service, did not receive witness-associate status. After three years, things are different. In the case for the murder of Ćuruvija, there are no witness-associates. There will be regular witnesses and material evidence,” Politika’s source claims.