A meeting between Belgrade Police Chief Veselin Milic and two rival underworld figures, Sasa Vukovic and Aleksandar Nesovic, ended in bloodshed on May 12. According to prosecutors, Vukovic shot Nesovic at least ten times. Nesovic's body was found days later buried in a barrel outside Belgrade. Investigators initially alleged that Milic helped cover up the crime.

The case quickly dominated headlines in Serbia, raising disturbing questions about why the head of the country's largest police department was meeting prominent criminals. However, Stevan Dojcinovic, editor-in-chief of investigative outlet KRIK, said the case itself is not remarkable: "The fact that a police chief is linked to organized crime and allegedly involved in criminal activity is, unfortunately, nothing new in Serbia."

Dojcinovic has spent years investigating ties between organized crime, state institutions, and Serbia's ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). He argues the relationship goes far beyond isolated corruption: "The Serbian state has become deeply entangled with organized crime. The ruling party and key figures around President Aleksandar Vucic cooperate with different criminal groups depending on political interests."

According to Dojcinovic, shifting alliances have fueled Serbia's underworld wars, with over 100 gang-related assassinations in the past decade, many in broad daylight. The latest killing became a major story, he says, because "it suited certain factions within the ruling party."

Investigative journalist Branko Cecen notes that ties between SNS and the criminal underworld date back to the beginning of Vucic's rule. "People with well-documented criminal backgrounds, such as Zvonko Veselinovic and Milan Radoicic, suddenly became major beneficiaries of state contracts," he said.

One clear example is the case of Veljko Belivuk, alleged leader of a notorious organized crime group on trial for murders, kidnappings, and drug trafficking. According to KRIK's courtroom reports, Belivuk told prosecutors he decided "to tell all" about his group's relationship with President Vucic, former Interior Minister Aleksandar Vulin, and other officials.

Dojcinovic also points to WhatsApp messages recovered from Belivuk's phone after his 2016 arrest, allegedly revealing a chain of communication where Belivuk sought approval from senior officers, who referred to the "small chief" (interior minister) and the "big chief" (President Vucic). In 2023, KRIK published an audio recording in which officer Vuckovic allegedly boasted that his network had "the entire police in its hands."

Both Dojcinovic and Cecen describe the relationship as mutually beneficial: the state provides protection, while criminal groups provide services. During student-led anti-government protests, members of criminal groups allegedly attacked peaceful demonstrators. Football hooligan groups linked to organized crime have also helped minimize anti-Vucic chants at stadiums. However, Dojcinovic stresses: "The state doesn't protect drug cartels simply to have a few dozen men available to attack protesters — people within the state profit from it."

Despite years of investigations, almost none of Serbia's major organized crime cases have resulted in political accountability. Dojcinovic claims prosecutors use encrypted Sky communications against gang members but avoid politically sensitive leads. Serbian officials reject allegations of links between the state and organized crime, insisting on an uncompromising fight against criminal groups.

As anti-government protests continue into their 20th month, pressure on President Vucic is growing. Cecen believes the issue is eroding support even among non-opposition voters. "It is one thing to make money under Vucic's system, and something entirely different to feel helpless in the face of organized crime and realize that the police cannot protect you," he said. Vucic announced on March 15 that he would step down within weeks, though no date for early elections has been set.

Source: www.dw.com