Starlet's Confession Fuels Plagiarism Row in Serbia

Nada Djukic, aka Blondy, a Serbian starlet, has revealed in a Happy TV show that she had bought her college diploma in management.

"I got it through a cousin. He told me: 'You are so smart, you figure things quickly, see how quickly you type on the phone and computer... You deserve a little more,'" Blondy told the show.

"He [the cousin] finished everything, I paid, and I do not want to hide that," she added.

Blondy went on to explain that she had never wanted to study, as she had better things to do, but agreed with the cousin to get a diploma mainly because of her parents.

However, she has refused to reveal which college or university she "bought" it from.

"The diploma is at home, and I will certainly not use it because I never had a job, nor will I ever! I'm just not the girl that works and I always have as much money as I need," she concluded.  

The confession comes at a time when Serbia faces an ongoing row over plagiarism among top officials.

Earlier this month, the website Pescanik published a study alleging that over 30 per cent of the thesis of the Mayor of Belgrade, Sinisa Mali, had been lifted from other people's work.

Mali obtained his PhD title at Belgrade University’s Faculty of Organisational Sciences in June 2013.

In late June, Pescanik also analysed the thesis of Aleksandar Sapic, president of the municipality of New Belgrade, and concluded that parts of his thesis were also copied from other people's work.

Nebojsa Stefanovic, the Interior Minister, has also been accused of plagiarism his diploma from the private Megatrend University.

All the officials concerned have denied the claims.