Serbian interior minister Nebojsa Stefanovic told reporters in Belgrade that he did not know whether there was an Interpol warrant against Serbian citizen Nemanja Ristic, who is wanted in Montenegro over allegations of plotting a terrorist attack during the election day on 16 October.
“I do not know and it is not my job to know that,” he said.
Stefanovic explained his “ignorance”.
“The police are headed by their director. But when it comes to international arrest warrants, police has no jurisdiction. Instead, the competent court and the Ministry of Justice give the order to the police to issue a warrant (red or blue Interpol warrant) against a particular person. Then that person is arrested and appropriate procedure is conducted. Police are neither a judge, not a prosecutor. Police do not decide whether someone is guilty, or if he/she should be taken somewhere or remand in custody – other authorities do that,” said Stefanovic.
On the other hand, Montenegrin justice minister Zoran Pazin had earlier explained that Serbia, as an Interpol member had to fulfil its obligations. Then he said that the Ministry of Justice would require Ristic’s extradition once he was arrested.
A photo of Ristic standing near Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has recently been published in Montenegrin and Serbian media. Meanwhile he continues to feel free to walk around. Yesterday he threatened that everything would be clear soon when he makes an announcement from Moscow through Russia Today.
In addition, he has been having fun, creating an impression that he is not a wanted person.
Last night he posted a photo on his Facebook account capturing it “feeling fantastic”.
Interpol red warrant against the two Russian nationals Eduard Vladimirovich Shirokov and Vladimir Nikolaevich Popov was issued on 6 December and against Nemanja Ristic, Predrag Bogicevic and Milos Jovanovic from Serbia on December 8, Dnevne Novine newspaper earlier reported. They are suspected to be masterminds and accomplices of a thwarted terrorist attack in Montenegro, which was to be carried out on 16 October.
