Belgrade killings in Serbia linked to alleged ties between state structures and organised crime

Miloš Ž. Lazić, writing for Nova.rs and speaking to N1, said the latest events in Serbia’s criminal underworld show a system where earlier attempts to conceal high-profile murders are increasingly failing. He connected several cases now under public scrutiny with shifting relations between rival criminal groups and people within state institutions.

One of the cases he referred to is the killing of Aleksandar Nešović, known as “Baja”, who was shot dead in the Senjak district of Belgrade. The case drew additional attention after claims emerged in investigative reporting that individuals linked to senior police structures may have been involved in covering up parts of the investigation. The name of former Belgrade police chief Veselin Milić was mentioned in this context, alongside references to a restaurant known as “27”, which has appeared in several reports connected to the case. It was also reported that foreign nationals were involved in preparations for the killing.

Another case highlighted is the killing of Darko Vesković, known as “Prika”, who was shot in a café in the Kumodraž area. According to local media, the attacker fired a single shot to the head and fled the scene. Vesković had previously been convicted in connection with a murder linked to a long-running conflict between criminal groups in Serbia, but that verdict was later overturned on appeal and a retrial was ordered. He had spent periods under electronic monitoring before the killing.

Lazić said the public circulation of video material from the Vesković killing is being used to shift attention away from other sensitive investigations, including those connected to the “27” restaurant case, which he described as politically uncomfortable.

He also said that current instability in Belgrade’s criminal scene is the result of broken alliances between state structures and organised groups. According to him, cooperation with some criminal networks had ended, while links with rival groups remained. These claims have not been independently verified.

Separately, he pointed to fugitives who are allegedly publishing compromising material online. He mentioned Miloš Medenica and Nikola Mirić, who are said to be sharing videos via Telegram channels such as “MedeniSveZna”. In those recordings, Mirić allegedly claims he was recruited by state officials and members of the Security Information Agency (BIA) to take part in attacks on protesters and logistics connected to politically motivated violence. These allegations have not been confirmed by authorities.

European and regional media, including AFP, Balkan Insight and TVP World, have also reported on the cases, focusing on concerns about the relationship between police, politics and organised crime in Serbia.

Coverage of the Nešović case has highlighted allegations involving senior police officials and wider questions about the independence of investigations. Some reports say prosecutors in Belgrade have charged foreign nationals, including citizens of Sweden and South Africa, in connection with preparations for the killing.

The killing of Vesković has been described in regional reporting as part of an ongoing conflict between the Škaljari and Kavač criminal clans, a violent rivalry that has spread across the Balkans for years. His case moved through several court decisions before his conviction was overturned.

Analysts quoted in European reporting on Serbia’s EU path say these incidents point to long-standing concerns about the justice system and its vulnerability to influence, while recent leaks and public accusations are seen as a sign of fractures within previously stable criminal and political arrangements.

Sourse: N1