Historical verdict: Aleksandar Vučić convicted for lying about Boško Obradović

The first basic court in Belgrade passed the first-instance verdict by which the president of the SNS, Aleksandar Vučić, is obliged to pay 200,000 dinars to the president of the Serbian movement Dveri, Boško Obradović, for violating his reputation and parts because he called him a “thief” and a “fascist”.

The reason for Obradović’s lawsuit were two guest appearances of Aleksandar Vučić on TV PINK on February 13 and 16, 2019, in which he called him a “thief” and a “fascist” in a live broadcast. Only Bosko Obradovic appeared in court. It is characteristic that Vučić’s lawyer did not ask for his statement in court or call him as a witness to prove his claims, as well as that in that way Vučić avoided the trial and confrontation with Obradović, but he could not avoid the verdict.

The following is the reasoning from this historic verdict: “The court gave credence to the plaintiff’s statement, finding that it was objective, clear and logical, and that it was in accordance with the written evidence in the case file… According to the content of the statements and the context in which are given, the opinion of this court is that the defendant by such statements belittled the plaintiff and violated his dignity, which caused the plaintiff a violation of both reputation (as an objective category that implies the attitude and opinion that the environment has about the personality of an individual) and parts (as subjective categories, ie a set of human virtues and opinions that an individual has about himself), since the defendant gave such statements in the capacity of the President of the state and on a television channel with a national frequency, which gave additional weight to the statements. Also, additional seriousness to such allegations of the defendant is given by the fact that the plaintiff is the president of a political party which was parliamentary at the time of giving these statements and which participated in the work of the Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, and therefore the statements were made by the president. characterized as a thief and a fascist on television influenced not only the reputation of the prosecutor as an individual but also the reputation of the party of which he is president.

Namely, bringing the plaintiff in connection with the word “thief” and the defendant’s astonishment because of which the plaintiff is not in prison indisputably represents an insult to the plaintiff who violates his reputation and honor, since this expression cannot have any connotation other than negative in public, especially bearing in mind that such a qualification was presented to the prosecutor on television with the aim and intention of discrediting the prosecutor’s character and work. Also, the court considers it necessary to clarify that the qualification “fascist”, which the defendant used as a way of characterizing the plaintiff, is clearly offensive as in the context in which the defendant used it in relation to the plaintiff, since a fascist is a supporter of fascist ideology. totalitarian and discriminatory, as well as in itself in the Republic of Serbia, bearing in mind that the fascists caused great suffering in Serbia during the Second World War, which is why this expression in our country carries a very negative connotation, because it means occupier or collaborator of the occupier. , which could not have been unknown to the defendant, as a president of the state and a politician with decades of experience, when giving such a statement. In addition to the fact that the term “fascist” is offensive to the prosecutor as an individual, it is also offensive to the prosecutor as the president of a political party that was parliamentary at the time of the statement, since the President’s designation of a political party president as a fascist indicates a potential illegality of the work of the party of which he is the president, considering that Art. 2 of the Law on Prohibition of Manifestations of Neo-Nazi or Fascist Symbols and Symbols (Official Gazette of RS, No. 41/2009) stipulates that manifestations of displaying symbols or symbols or any other activity of members of neo-Nazi or fascist organizations and associations are prohibited (paragraph 1), and it is prescribed to initiate the procedure for deletion from the register of such organization or association “.

On this occasion, Boško Obradović stated the following: “This is a great day and a historic moment when the independent judiciary in Serbia passed the first court verdict against Aleksandar Vučić as not only an individual but also a symbol of the current government.” This verdict defended my part and this is a great satisfaction for me personally, my family and the Serbian movement Dveri as a whole. We are neither fascists nor thieves, nor are the presidents of the SNS and Serbia calling us that in the media without any evidence. The fact that there is a façade democracy in Serbia, that there is no freedom of the media and fair elections, that institutions are captured, does not mean that the president of the SNS can do what he wants and deal with political dissidents through the regime media every day, or issue such orders to his choirs. I call on Aleksandar Vučić to apologize for these words, and for all regime media to report on this verdict.

I take this opportunity to thank the eminent Belgrade lawyer Vladimir Todorić for this legal victory and the historic verdict, as well as all the people who did not believe in Vučić’s lies and who have supported me all these years. This is a great day of hope for all others who have been harassed, slandered and dragged through numerous negative campaigns under this government that they too will receive justice. This is proof that justice is slow but achievable. As this misdemeanor court procedure was completed in the first instance, so the criminal responsibility of all those from the current government who are steeped in crime and corruption and today seem so untouchable will be initiated soon. Today, justice is more important to Serbia than bread, and injustice and the absence of a fair system is one of the biggest reasons why young and highly educated people are leaving this country. Let this day mark the great beginning of the change of the system in Serbia that is yet to come.

Finally, this verdict restores faith in the Serbian judiciary, its independence and the future of the rule of law and justice in Serbia. The New Year could not begin with a greater symbolic act for all the hungry and thirsty for justice in our country. Let this historical verdict become the herald of a new epoch in Serbian history, which will finally bring us all the rule of law and the responsibility of politicians in power for the lies told and the crimes committed. “

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– SERBIAN info (@srbininfo) January 12, 2021