Serb PM backs murder theory

Serb PM backs murder theory

Mr Djindjic at first rejected the assassination theory

Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic has confirmed that he believes an attempt was made last week to assassinate him.

A lorry cut into the path of Mr Djindjic's car as it sped along a main road - a method previously used by Serbian secret police in assassination attempts.

Mr Djindjic's driver managed to avoid an accident, and the lorry driver was later arrested.

The reformist prime minister has labelled the incident a "futile effort" to stop his democratic changes.

"If someone thinks the law and the reforms can be stopped by eliminating me, then that is a huge delusion," Mr Djindjic was quoted as saying in the daily newspaper Politika.

"The system will still function and no-one will get an amnesty for his crimes by doing away with one or two state officials."

It proves a completely misdirected obsession of these people who use such methods, and who believe that nothing has changed here and that they can do what they had done in the previous regime

Zoran Djindjic

Four years ago a similar "staged" road accident was targeted at Serbian opposition figure Vuk Draskovic.

Four people died, including Mr Draskovic's brother-in-law. Mr Draskovic himself was injured, but survived.

The trail of evidence in that case led to men who had once served with a Serbian Interior Ministry special operations unit.

Reports from Belgrade say the same group is rumoured to be responsible for the incident involving Mr Djinjdic.

Police say the lorry which tried to hit the prime minister's car was being driven by a well-known local criminal with the nickname, Bugsy.

He had received information on his mobile phone just before the incident that Mr Djindjic's car was approaching, police say.

The lorry had Austrian number-plates.

Correspondents say the incident increases fears in Belgrade that a powerful underworld - including former secret policemen - still wields a considerable amount of influence.

"It proves a completely misdirected obsession of these people who use such methods, and who believe that nothing has changed here and that they can do what they had done in the previous regime," Mr Djindjic told national radio.

Mr Djindjic, who was on his way to Belgrade airport at the time of the incident, had initially rejected the theory of an assassination attempt, saying on Sunday he would be "shocked" if it were true.