Jovanjica case
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The Jovanjica case is a Serbian political scandal. Jovanjica, owned by Predrag Koluvija, was a company that was known for producing organic food until it was raided by police in November 2019 and found to be a large-scale marijuana farm. Koluvija, who had connections to the Serbian Progressive Party, was accused of being the leader of a criminal group that cultivated and sold marijuana with the help of police officers and other intelligence agents. He is currently on trial in two separate cases before the Special Court for Organized Crime in Belgrade. The case became a major scandal for Serbian political figures, due to the involvement of several high ranking officials.
Background
[edit]Predrag Koluvija (Serbian Cyrillic: Предраг Колувија) is a Serbian businessman.[1] He was also part of the official delegation of Serbia during a business forum in Moscow in 2019, when he accompanied President Aleksandar Vučić, and is close to the ruling Serbian Progressive Party and high ranking political officials.[2][1] Jovanjica, owned by Koluvija, was a company that was known for producing organic food.[1]
Raid and arrests
[edit]Following a stop with police for reckless driving, the police found Koluvija to be in possession of fake ID. This led them to his farm, which was found instead to be a large-scale marijuana farm.[1][3] The business was raided by police in November 2019,[1] and Kovulja was arrested.[4] At the farm was found 650 kilograms (1,430 lb) of dried marijuana and 65000 raw stems.[4]
Legal proceedings
[edit]Koluvija is accused of being the leader of a criminal group that cultivated and sold marijuana with the help of police officers and other intelligence agents.[5] He was placed under house arrest. Following his release from prison and his placement under house arrest, there was public outcry. President Aleksandar Vučić defended this placement, on the grounds that he had not killed anyone and that marijuana was a drug that "half the region, the Germans and others, ha[ve] legalized".[3]
He is currently on trial in two separate cases before the Special Court for Organized Crime in Belgrade.[6] In 2023, many of Koluvija's properties were ordered to be seized.[4][7]
Kovulja sued the news portal KRIK for calling him an "accused drug boss".[8][9] They were found guilty for violating his presumption of innocence.[10] BIRN was also sued by Kovulja over their coverage on the case, for alleged incorrect reporting. BIRN claimed that Kovulja was attempting to silence the press.[11]
Reaction
[edit]The case became a major scandal for Serbian political figures, due to the involvement of several high ranking officials.[12]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Maričić, Slobodan (10 April 2023). "Rečnik slučaja Jovanjica: Pet najvažnijih pojmova". BBC News na srpskom (in Serbian (Latin script)). Retrieved 15 June 2023.
- ^ Vulović, Neda (5 December 2019). "Aleksić: Vlasnik "Jovanjice" bio s Vučićem na privrednom forumu u Moskvi". N1 (in Serbian). Retrieved 15 June 2023.
- ^ a b Cvetkovic, Ljudmila (21 October 2021). "Serbia's Jailed Medical-Marijuana Users Seize On Double Standard For Reputed Kingpin". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ a b c "Privremeno oduzeta imovina vlasniku 'Jovanjice' Predragu Koluviji". Radio Slobodna Evropa (in Serbo-Croatian). 24 November 2023. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ Živanović, Katarina (2 November 2021). "Koluvija priprema sebi oslobađajuću presudu". Danas (in Serbian). Retrieved 15 June 2023.
- ^ "Ponovo odloženo pripremeno ročište u predmetu Jovanjica 2". Danas (in Serbian). 23 November 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
- ^ Milovanović, Tanja (24 November 2023). "Ovo je imovina koja je oduzeta Predragu Koluviji: Stan na Zvezdari, parcele i devet zgrada u Staroj Pazovi". Nova (in Serbian). Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ Bešlija, Damir (3 November 2021). "Suspected Drug Producer Sues KRIK for Calling him 'Accused Narco Boss'". OCCRP. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ Jovanović, Bojana (12 September 2023). "KRIK found guilty in a court case issued by Predrag Koluvija". KRIK. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ KRIK.rs (19 June 2024). "Court Rules Against KRIK in Koluvija's Defamation Suit". KRIK. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ^ "BIRN Sued Over 'Marijuana Farm' Court Case Coverage". BalkanInsight. 14 February 2023. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ Veljkovic, Jelena; Apostolov, Vlado (26 May 2021). "'No Case': Serbian Marijuana Probe Points, in Vain, to North Macedonia". BalkanInsight. Retrieved 16 February 2024.