26. 11. 2013

Deputy Mayor fined for insulting journalist

Valjevo, November 26, 2013 (Beta) - Former Deputy Mayor of Valjevo Dragoljub Krstic is fined today by the Magistrate court in that town, for insulting journalist Darija Rankovic, recent editor of local Radio Patak. Krstic is fined with 80.000 dinars and is obliged to pay proceedings expenses amounting to 95.000 dinars.

Former Deputy Mayor and current assistant was found guilty for the words: "Get out of here, you scum!" spoken to the journalist of Radio Patak at the session of the City Parliament, December 2012.

Allegedly, Krstic was dissatisfied because the journalist removed the dictaphone  when it was turn for Parliament member Slobodan Gvozdenovic to speak. At that time, Slobodan Gvozdenovic, as well as Krstic, was a member of the Group of citizens "Pobeda", which won 8 mandates at the election in May of 2012.  

During the trial, Krstic invoked a right to immunity, however, at the request of the Magistrate court, the Ministry of local municipality of Serbia sent the interpretation that he did not have right to immunity, having been the Deputy  Mayor.

At yesterday's court appearance, he asked that judge Mirjana Novakovic was exempt, but the request was refused as procedurally impossible.

Both sides have the right of appeal to the Court of Appeal in Belgrade.