Serbian PM Shot dead in front of the Serbian Government building

Serbian PM Shot dead in front of the Serbian Government building
Beta - March 12, 2003

BELGRADE, Wednesday (15:55) – Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic was today shot twice in Nemanjina Street, Belgrade, close to the Serbian Government building.

The PM, who sustained shots to the stomach and chest, was immediately rushed to the emergency centre where he underwent surgery, but doctors were unable to save his life.

Mihailo Mitrovic, director of the Belgrade Emergency Centre, confirmed to Beta that a team of doctors, including the head of the centre, had been assembled and were all involved in the unsuccessful surgery.

Djindjic’s wife is said to have left the Emergency Centre around 2pm, shortly after two high-profile government officials.

All official vehicles later left the emergency centre, police withdrew and all flights from Belgrade airport have been postponed.

Beta has confirmed that police have detained three suspects in connection with the assassination and an investigation has now commenced.

Dragan Sutanovac, Head of the Serbian Parliament’s Security Committee, interrupted a committee session with the news of Djindjic’s assassination attempt at 12.15, after which the Serbian and Federal Governments scheduled an extraordinary session.

Prior to the start of the governmental session, Deputy Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic officially announced that Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic had passed away. The announcement was followed by a minute’s silence.

General Sreten Lukic, of the Serbian Interior Ministry, has confirmed to B92 that the Prime Minister’s security team did not return fire and the police arrived on the scene some ten minutes after the shooting.

The shots were fired from a sniper rifle positioned on the roof of a building across the street, which is currently undergoing renovation.

Beta reports that fully armed police officers are currently stopping and searching cars in downtown Belgrade, concentrating on the more luxurious vehicles, and latest reports confirm that traffic is at a complete standstill on Knjez Milos, Nemanjina and Srpski Vladara Streets.