“I would have been disappointed if a negative campaign was not launched on the occasion of my recent return. Even if it’s pretty pitiable,“ the Serbian ambassador to the United States, Marko Djurić, commented after a photo of him with Milan Radoičić was published on Twitter last night.
The photo was then shared on other social networks. It shows Djurić and Radoičić sitting alone at a table in a restaurant.
The photo was shared on the „RKS NEWS“ Twitter account with the message:
“In an unexpected twist, a photo has surfaced showing Milan Radoicic, currently on Interpol’s wanted list, in close company with Marko Djuric. This raises serious questions about the connections between political circles and individuals sought for criminal activities.”
According to some media reports, the photo was allegedly taken in Serbia, in a restaurant in Belgrade.
When the photograph showing the Serbian ambassador to the US and the former vice-president of Srpska Lista, against whom this country introduced sanctions for corruption and who is most likely now wanted by INTERPOL, was taken remains unknown.
I am still in contact with the Serbian representatives and I still like to meet with them
Even Djurić himself did not answer these questions, who reacted today with a post on the „X“ social network.
Although he did not specifically mention Radoičić, as well as the photo that was published yesterday, Djurić said that he „never hid or was ashamed of the very public contacts he has within the scope of his work“.
On the other hand, he says that he would be disappointed if „a negative campaign was not launched due to his recent return“.
„I have no intention of apologizing to Kurti and Svecla or their bots and other hateful people for anything. I have met many times with various Serbian representatives with whom I still have regular contact and I like to meet with them even today,“ says Djurić.
On the other hand, he emphasizes that as part of his work, he also met with „numerous Albanian leaders who are accused by domestic and international justice of indescribable war crimes against my people.“
In his words, this was „always incomparably more difficult“ for him personally:
„As well as the meetings I had to have with ethno-nationalists Kurti and Svecla, who brutally trample on the basic human rights of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija and have blood of the innocent on their hands.“
He then addressed those who „campaign against their own country in the public space.“
„I’ve been away from daily politics for a long time, so I find it a little surprising the passion with which some, in the public space, campaign against their own country, thinking that they will realize political benefit.“
He had a message for those individuals: „New big disappointments await you in the near future.“
„I’ll be back soon and I can’t wait to face them all together,“ Djurić concluded.
Hovenier: „The position of the US is clear, Radoičić is a criminal who must be held accountable“
In response to Gazeta Express, the US ambassador to Pristina confirmed that they “are familiar” with the media reports about the alleged meeting.
On the other hand, he underlined that the US position on Milan Radoičić is well-known.
„Mr. Radoičić is under the sanctions of the US government for his involvement in corruption and transnational organized crime.“
Hovenier reminded that Radoičić took responsibility for the events in Banjska on September 24.
„He took responsibility for the attack in Banjska through his lawyers. He is a criminal who must be held accountable,“ said the US ambassador, reports Gazeta Express.
At the same time, he pointed to the US government’s request to official Belgrade that all members of the group of Serbs who clashed with the Kosovo police in Banjska should be brought to justice.
An important role in the Serbian government
The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, recently announced that Djurić will be returning to Serbia soon.
A month ago, he said from New York that he believes that Djurić would have „one of the most important function in the country“.
Speculation ran rampant on social networks about what that function could be.
After it was recently announced that the current Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić will become the President of the National Assembly, Florian Bieber, a professor at the University of Graz and an expert on the Balkans, said in a post on „X“ that he believes that Djurić will be the new Prime Minister. Djurić’s name was also associated with speculations for the position of head of BIA and minister of foreign affairs.
From champagne in Mitrovica to meetings in Belgrade
Djurić and Radoičić met many times in the past. The current ambassador of Serbia to the USA was regularly seen in Radoičić’s vicinity even when he served as the head of the Kosovo Office, before this controversial businessman from the north of Kosovo became the vice-president of SL.
Radoičić was appointed vice-president of this party in 2018 (a few months after the murder of Oliver Ivanović and after he was linked with this case).
In October 2017, after the local elections, he was filmed in downtown North Mitrovica celebrating and having champagne together with Djurić and SL leaders, after which Djurić phoned the President of Serbia, who congratulated him on the elections.
Radoičić publicly met with Djurić in Belgrade on several occasions, together with other representatives of SL.
The former SL official, however, resigned from the position of vice president of the party after taking responsibility for the organization of the attack in Banjska on September 24 last year.
On that day, an armed conflict broke out between an armed group of Serbs and members of the Kosovo Police, in which one officer was killed, and three members of the Serbian group were shot dead, several others were wounded, and three were arrested.
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