30. 06. 2003

Popovic seeks two million dinars compensation

BELGRADE, June 30, 2003 - Vladimir "Beba" Popovic, head of the Serbian Government's Communications Bureau, has filed yet another lawsuit, this time against Belgrade-based weekly Vreme and one of their journalists Milos Vasic. Popovic is requesting one million dinars compensation for emotional anguish and another million for damage to his reputation. According to a Vreme statement, Popovic's suit relates to two articles: "Precipitation continues", published on 17 April, and "The price of the tip-off - 1,200 euros", published on 23 April. Vreme explained that the points prompting the suit are, firstly, the claim that an unnamed individual was arrested when in fact he was not, which damages the reputation of the government and its bureaus, and secondly that one of the articles describes Popovic as "an arrogant chief of agitprop, who is also insolent". Moreover, "The price of the tip - 1,200 euros" stated that Popovic is loathed and mocked by his colleagues "regardless of how much Mr. Beba held the handles of Djindjic's coffin at the funeral". The weekly divulged information contained in the charge sheet, in which Popovic claims that, unlike the defendants, he told the truth, did not disappear from circulation or take part in any "anti-state conspiracy", as is claimed in the article "Precipitation continues".