The aim of the article published in Vijesti was solely to "dehumanize and criminalize my brother and President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić," Andrej Vučić said this morning at a hearing in the Podgorica Basic Court.
The brother of the Serbian President sued Vijesti for an article that, among other things, quoted correspondence from the Sky app, in which fugitive police officer Ljubo Milović and Nikšić resident Miloš Božović commented that Zvonko Veselinović and he "hold all the strings in their hands" and that they recently celebrated "the first billion euros earned."
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Andrej Vučić said that in the past, when untruths were made about him and his family, he always sued individuals and that he had never sued the media, "because he respects the freedom of the media."
"Only tycoon media, namely Vijesti and Nova S from Serbia, because they write on the orders of the same boss," said Vučić.
Judge Jelena Anđelić warned him twice for such qualifications, stating that he could be fined or removed from the courtroom.
When asked if he had sent a denial to the published text, Vučić replied that he had not.
"Why should I call them when I know they're going to lie again," he said.
Vučić said that the published text shocked him and that his friends from Montenegro told him that he had been mentioned.
The brother of the President of Serbia said that he is a family man who has worked at the National Bank of Serbia for 28 years.
"None of the journalists called me to ask me anything, nor did they question the claims in the article. I felt terrible, people were left in awe after that article," he explained, adding that after the publication, he asked his godfather, the doctor, to prescribe him tranquilizers and heart medication.
He pointed out that he had never heard of Miloš Božović and Ljubo Milović, who are mentioned in the correspondence.
"I don't know who these people are, I just understand the intention of the same boss and what his goal is. I don't know either of them, and I've never read anything about them until recently when I saw something about Milović in the media," Vučić said.
He pointed out that it was not his level to communicate with criminals, and that he did not have any businesses or companies.
"I know Zvonko Veselinović, but I'm not close to him, he's just an acquaintance. I've seen him three or four times at some public gatherings, but we have no common ground," Vučić said at the hearing.
He added that he was not aware of whether Veselinović was involved in criminal circles and that he did not know whether criminal proceedings were being conducted against him.
In response to the judge's question, he said that he is a member of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), that he is a member of the party's executive board, which is only the third most important body in the party in terms of hierarchy, and that this body has many members.
"I do not see myself as a public figure, but as a target to harm my brother," Vučić said.
He pointed out that he has never given a statement to the media in his life, and that he is not present in the media.
Commenting on the messages from the text in which Božović says that Andrej Vučić and Veselinović went hunting by helicopter together with the then Minister of Police of Republika Srpska, Dragan Lukač, he said that he had never seen or heard of Lukač in his life.
"I am not a hunter, I hate hunting, and I hate anyone who kills animals. I have never ridden in a helicopter in my life," Vučić said at today's hearing.
At the hearing, the judge read a part of the text, published in Vijesti, in which it is written that Božović claims that "my guys" fought with Nevolja (Veljko Belivuk) and the police for him and Andrej...
Andrej Vučić responded by saying that he did not know which guys were involved.
"...Secondly, these allegations are incorrect because it was this Velja Nevolja who was working on my brother's head on the orders of crime bosses from Montenegro," Vučić said.
In addition to the media, the hearing was also attended by MP and President of the Democratic People's Party (DNP), Milan Knežević.
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