The head of Serbia's criminal police directorate has been taken into custody and formally charged with abuse of office, according to reports published by state media outlets. Marko Kricak, a high-ranking law enforcement official, is accused of actively suppressing and manipulating an ongoing investigation into the May murder of a suspected underworld figure inside a Belgrade restaurant.
The 42-year-old official was widely regarded as a staunch loyalist to defeated Serbian leader Aleksandar Vucic, whose right-wing populist camp suffered a significant defeat against the opposition Student List during the October 25 parliamentary elections. Furthermore, various student organizations had previously accused Kricak of police brutality in responding to peaceful demonstrations directed against the Vucic administration. The systematic removal of Kricak and other loyalists embedded within Serbia's security and intelligence apparatus stood as a primary demand among student leaders.
Notwithstanding the political context, Belgrade's chief prosecutor, Nenad Stefanovic, firmly denied any correlation between the student movement's ultimatums and Kricak's subsequent arrest. Addressing journalists, Stefanovic asserted that the detention bears no connection to the legislative election outcomes. However, independent analysts view the apprehension of a senior law enforcement figure closely tied to the former regime as a clear sign that the foundations of the Vucic political system are gradually crumbling.
Kricak's career trajectory saw him transition from working as an automobile salesman to being recruited into Serbia's domestic intelligence agency, the BIA, remaining a dedicated supporter of Vucic's party. In July 2023, he assumed the role of commander of the Serbian police's personal protection unit. It was during this tenure that he was allegedly implicated in leading the abduction of university students, including assaulting a female student and issuing threats within a government basement in Belgrade. By late 2025, he was elevated to the post of head of the Serbian Criminal Police.
Source: www.dw.com