Vuk Raonic, the man who physically assaulted cameraman Mirko Todorovic on November 5 last year during a civic protest outside the headquarters of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) in Novi Sad, has been appointed assistant mayor of Novi Sad.
Raonic was first spotted in the front row at a Novi Sad City Assembly meeting in late February this year, despite the factthat he held no position as a councilor or City Council member at the time.
During a recess at that meeting, journalists attempted to determine in what capacity he was attending and whether he was indeed the one who had attacked Todorovic.
“I can’t remember, I don’t understand what you’re talking about,” Raonic replied, following which he was shown video footage clearly identifying him as the person who violently lunged at Todorovic, knocking the cameraman to the ground.
At that same session on February 24, Novi Sad Assembly President Dina Vucinic was seen hugging and kissing Raonic. When asked why he was seated in the front row despite not being an elected official, she told reporters, “You haven’t been paying attention, he is a good friend of mine.”
The then newly elected Novi Sad Mayor, Zarko Micin, also acknowledged Raonic as a friend but said that Raonic would not hold public office if any criminal charges were filed against him.
On July 2, the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Novi Sad dismissed the criminal complaint filed against SNS member Raonic by a lawyer representing the Independent Journalists’ Association of Vojvodina.
The Prosecutor’s Office said that “there are no grounds for suspicion that a criminal offense prosecuted ex officio has been committed,” adding that they believe there is no evidence the suspect committed the crime of violent behavior.
“On the other hand, since it is undisputed that the actions taken by the suspect Vuk Raonic contain elements of a related misdemeanor, the Prosecutor’s Office will file a request to initiate misdemeanor proceedings for insults, violence, threats, or brawling,” the office explained to the daily Danas in July.
Source: N1
