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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbian police fights economic crime harder than ever

Belgrade, 4 February 2006

Serbian Minister of Interior Dragan Jocic said last night that the article published in the daily Blic about alleged secret conversations of former Vice-Governor of the National Bank of Serbia Dejan Simic is nothing but an utter lie and slander and a way to sling mud at somebody. Jocic asked Blic whether they actually think that corruption can be suppressed by false statements and libels, or do they rather choose to give spur to crime and corruption.

Dragan Jocic

The Serbian government's official website gives Jocic's statement in full.

"It can be understood that a daily such as Blic, which tends to influence and form public opinion in Serbia, prints a piece of inaccurate or not completely true information. But to print an entire article in which it falsely accuses people for the worst imaginable immoral acts, as has been done in the article on alleged conversations of former Vice-Governor Simic, makes way for the following question that I publicly pose to Blic: Are you indeed trying to fight corruption in this way, or are you rather helping it by simply mudding the waters?

I know that Blic, just like the rest of the media, sees that the police are leading possibly the greatest ever battle against economic crime in Serbia. The police are working day and night so that Serbia could cross the Rubicon and demonstrate that not even the most powerful people are beyond the law and that they will be brought to justice. And then Blic prints an article brimming with lies. If politics or some politicians are behind all this, then I tell them that not only have they resorted to a dishonourable and primitive ways of political war, but they have placed themselves on the side of crime and corruption. The police are thoroughly dedicated to fighting crime and what they accomplish will be the best proof of their success, and not some feeble deceptions", concluded Minister Jocic.