Fresh revelations from leaked encrypted messages have triggered a political and legal controversy in Serbia, with prosecutors opening a new line of inquiry into allegations that former football officials discussed using criminal figures to intimidate football legend Nemanja Vidić after he criticized the country’s football leadership.

The case has also drawn renewed attention after Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić publicly downplayed the significance of the allegations, even as a criminal complaint seeking the arrest of former Football Association of Serbia president Slaviša Kokeza was transferred to Serbia’s organized crime prosecutors.

The controversy stems from an investigation published on June 30 by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and its Serbian investigative partner KRIK, which analyzed leaked communications from the encrypted Sky ECC messaging platform.

According to the investigation, Kokeza allegedly discussed plans in 2020 to recruit members of the criminal underworld to monitor, intimidate, and physically assault Vidić and several of his supporters after the former Manchester United captain publicly criticized the management of the Football Association of Serbia (FSS).

The leaked conversations allegedly went beyond Vidić alone. The messages indicated that Kokeza also considered retaliatory actions against Serbian footballers Nemanja Matić, Danko Lazović, and Dragan Mrđa, all of whom had publicly expressed support for Vidić.

Investigators reported that the communications further suggested Kokeza attempted to secure political backing from influential supporters of Red Star Belgrade, while some of the individuals involved allegedly maintained contacts with notorious Serbian organized crime figure Veljko Belivuk.

Prosecutors open inquiry

The publication of the investigation prompted Serbia’s Prosecution for Organized Crime (TOK) to acknowledge that it had not previously examined the communications.

In response to questions from KRIK, prosecutors said they would request information........

© Blitz