Reports based on encrypted Sky (Sky ECC) messages have raised allegations that the Embassy of Serbia in Lisbon may have been discussed as a location for hiding cocaine shipments used by members of criminal groups. According to investigations published by Montenegrin outlet Vijesti, the alleged conversations date back to 2020, when the Serbian ambassador to Portugal was Oliver Antić, who has since passed away.
The messages reportedly include communication between individuals linked to organized crime networks using the Sky encrypted messaging platform, referring to the possibility of storing shipments inside the Serbian diplomatic mission in Lisbon. The claims have drawn attention because they coincide with the period when Antić served as Serbia’s top diplomatic representative in Portugal.
Diplomat, Academic and Political Figure
Oliver Antić was a law professor, diplomat and political figure in Serbia. He was also known as one of the founders of the Serbian Progressive Party, the party later led by Aleksandar Vučić.
Born in 1950 in Belgrade, Antić completed his education at the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law, where he later built an academic career. He served as dean of the faculty from 1998 to 2000, during a politically turbulent period in Serbia’s university system.
In 2012, Antić became an adviser to then Serbian president Tomislav Nikolić. He was later appointed Serbia’s ambassador to Portugal in 2015, and in 2019 he also received accreditation as a non-resident ambassador to São Tomé and Príncipe.
Controversies and Allegations During His Career
Antić’s career was marked by several controversies:
- He was associated with the “Index Affair”, one of Serbia’s largest university corruption scandals, involving allegations of bribery for exams and diplomas at the law faculty in Kragujevac. The case involved dozens of defendants and years of court proceedings.
- A criminal complaint was filed against him over allegations of sexual abuse of his daughter, accusations that his family strongly denied. The case remained unresolved following his death.
Death in Portugal Surrounded by Conflicting Reports
Antić died in 2022 in Portugal under circumstances that received significant media attention. Portuguese reports stated he fell from a cliff near the coastal municipality of Cascais during an official visit.
However, reports differed on details of the incident:
- Some sources claimed he died after being rescued from the sea and taken for resuscitation.
- Other reports suggested he died at the scene.
Speculation also emerged that the fall might have been suicide, though his family rejected those claims, insisting it was a tragic accident.
Allegations About the Embassy
The recent allegations regarding the Serbian embassy in Lisbon stem from messages exchanged among alleged members of criminal groups, not from official confirmation by authorities. As of now, no official findings have been publicly confirmed linking the embassy itself to drug trafficking activities.
Nevertheless, the claims have revived scrutiny of the period when Antić served as ambassador and have sparked renewed public debate about diplomatic oversight and the activities referenced in the leaked messages.
