September 1, 2022.
A court hearing of Dejan Nikolić, who is being tried over threats issued against owners and employees of radio station OK Radio, based in the Southern Serbian city of Vranje, was marked by new threats that the defendant once again issued during the trial itself, in the presence of the judge, to OK Radio representatives and journalists reporting on the trial.
The owner of a bookmakers/casino in Vranje, Nikolić is known for his violent conduct and as being a very powerful man who’s spent years terrorising the entire city without facing any consequences.
When OK radio owner Olivera Vladković said, speaking before the judge, that she fears for herself and her loved ones, Nikolić responded by stating: “Those who are afraid should be afraid” and threatened to “destroy the entire city”.
These latest threats prompted journalists to file another lawsuit against Nikolić.
It is interesting to note that, prior to the start of the trial, Nikolić organised for around 300 people to appear in front of the court in his support. They wore t-shirts sporting an image of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and calling for “justice” and “help” for Nikolić.
Alongside this lawsuit, another legal process is being led against Nikolić on the basis of charges filed by Veran Matić, president of the Association of Independent Electronic Media [ANEM] and member of the Permanent Working Group for the Safety of Journalists. According to this lawsuit, Nikolić is to blame for offensive posters containing the image of Matić that were plastered around the walls of Vranje city centre in response to Matić’s arrival from Belgrade in support of OK Radio employees.
