The long-serving commander of the Special Anti-Terrorist Unit (SAJ) in Serbia, Spasoje Vulević (54), has been relieved of his duties and will formally retire on Monday. transmissions H1A source from that media outlet, as they reported, claims that his dismissal came after a request from Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.
"Insajder" television, on the other hand, reports that they have been confirmed that Vulević is retiring at his own request, before the legal deadline, because he refused to serve as an advisor to the Minister of Police Ivica Dačić.
Police sources say that the goal of the new systematization of the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP), which was adopted last week, is to place all armed units under the control of the political state leadership, which has not been the case with the unit headed by Spasoje Vulević for more than 20 years.
On Friday, Vulević was offered the position of advisor to Dačić, which he declined and decided to retire.
"Radar" announced that the SAJ commander had repeatedly refused requests for his unit to intervene against protesting citizens.
Parallel to the dismissal, or rather retirement, of Vulević, the security of the US Embassy, which was performed by the SAJ for almost two decades, is gradually being completely taken over by the Protection Unit - JZO, commanded by Marko Kričak, writes "Radar".
Vulević headed the SAJ for almost two decades, and has been with the Ministry of Interior since 1993. He is the first Serbian police officer to graduate from the prestigious FBI Academy, and "Vreme" states that during his command, the SAJ "remained remarkably free of scandals, with professionally trained and disciplined members."
According to Vreme, Vulević "refused to transform the SAJ into the government's Praetorian Guard, which was perceived by the political leadership as disobedience." The newspaper added that "his authority within the police force became a hindrance precisely because he did not want the unit to be used in actions against citizens."
The Radar portal reminds us that Vulević is one of the names mentioned in the context of the latest purge in the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs. As they state, his retirement shows that "professionals with integrity are leaving the police, and in their place are personnel ready for political loyalty."
Spasoje Vulević's departure from the service is seen not only as the end of an era in the Special Anti-Terrorist Unit, but also as a political signal - that there is no longer room in the top ranks of the police for those who, as "Vreme" wrote, "are not ready to put the unit into the function of repression against citizens," writes N1.
Bonus video:
