Serbian Security Unit Commander Refuses Court Questions About Curuvija Murder

Former Serbian State Security Unit for Special Operations, commander Milorad "Legija" Ulemek, refused to answer questions about the murder of Serbian journalist Slavko Curuvija at the Belgrade Court of Appeal.

Legija told the court that he stands by his 2014 statement from the investigation and his 2016 statement from the first trial.

Curuvija was shot in front of his home in Belgrade in April 1999 during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, allegedly because of his outspoken criticism of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic.

In 2016 Ulemek told the Belgrade Higher Court that in 2000 Radomir Markovic, then head of State Security, called him to assign him a new task for his unit.

"When I asked who would be in charge of the operatives, because the rule was that the so-called navigators of the operation should be operatives of the service [State Security], I received the following answer: 'Those of Radonja's [men] who killed Curuvija.'" Legija said.

He added that when he left Markovic's office, he met Ratko Romic and Miroslav Kurak in the corridor. In 2014 Legija said he concluded they were the people Markovic referred to.

Ulemek was brought to the court from prison where he is serving a unique sentence for participation in killing of prime minister Zoran Djindjic and other gang murders and kidnappings during the Nineties.

Former head of Serbian State Security Radomir Markovic, security service officer Milan Radonjic and secret service agents Ratko Romic and Miroslav Kurak launched challenges in December 2022 at the Appeals Court in Belgrade to the 2021 verdict convicting them of involvement in the murder of the prominent journalist and editor.

Beside Ulemek, the Court of Appeal also wanted to hear testimonials of...