In an interview with N1, Miloš Ž. Lazić, a prominent investigative journalist for Nova.rs, issued a sobering critique of Serbia’s current security landscape. Commenting on a wave of high-profile gangland liquidations and recent public shootouts, Lazić asserted that the state can no longer cover up the targeted assassinations of Aleksandar Nešović and Darka Vesković.
According to Lazić, the recent surge in violence is a direct symptom of a shifting tectonic plate in the criminal underworld: the transactional alliance between state structures and a prominent organized crime syndicate has collapsed, replaced by a new government-backed criminal group.
Public Safety at Risk: “We are Relying on the Precision of Shooters, Not the Police”
A recent shooting at a cafe in Belgrade’s Zvezdari district marked the 20th major violent incident—encompassing contract killings, shootouts, and arson—since the start of 2026. Lazić sharply rejected official government narratives that attempt to pass off these statistics as standard for any metropolitan area.
- The Illusion of Safety: Lazić warned that while recent hits mostly targeted specific underworld figures, the risk of collateral damage is rapidly escalating. He cited a recent bystander casualty in Višnjička Banja, where an innocent woman was killed.
- The Statistics Defense: Lazić noted that state authorities continuously manipulate statistics to claim a drop in heavy crime. “If we believed their numbers, serious crime would have been eradicated in Serbia years ago,” he observed.
Belgrade Gangland Violence (H1 2026 Metrics)
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Total Incidents --> 20 registered events (assassinations, arson, shootings).
High-Profile Hits --> Aleksandar Nešović (Senjak), Darko Vesković (Prika).
Key Suspects --> Saša Vuković (in custody); Swedish & South African nationals.
Under Investigation --> Former Belgrade Police Chief Veselin Milić.
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The Leaked Footage Manipulation and “Restaurant 27”
The public release of graphic security footage showing the assassination of Darko Vesković (alias “Prika”) has shocked the Serbian public. However, Lazić frames the leak as a deliberate strategic diversion orchestrated by state-aligned actors.
Miloš Ž. Lazić: “The shocking footage of Vesković’s murder was pushed into the public sphere specifically to overshadow the conspicuous lack of security footage from Restaurant 27 on Senjak—the site of Aleksandar Nešović’s murder on May 12.”
Lazić pointed out that new testimony from suspect Saša Vuković again alleges that former Belgrade Police Chief Veselin Milić explicitly phoned Nešović to lure him to Restaurant 27. While the prosecution dropped initial criminal complaints accusing Milić and his security detail of actively tampering with the crime scene and hiding Nešović’s body—which was later discovered buried in a barrel near Jarkovac Lake—Milić still faces charges for failing to report the murder.
Lazić argued that the prosecution is actively behaving like Milić’s defense counsel rather than investigating the deep-state ties to the crime.
International Hits and the Wrath of Abandoned Insiders
The Higher Public Prosecution in Belgrade recently raised an indictment against a Swedish citizen and a South African national for plotting the assassination of Nešović months before his actual death. Lazić expressed skepticism over the depth of the inquiry, noting that foreign hitmen could not navigate Belgrade, obtain local firearms, or secure food-delivery courier disguises without high-level local logistical support. “The investigation is intentionally limited because it refuses to name who ordered the hit,” Lazić stated.
Simultaneously, high-profile fugitives have taken to social media to air out illicit state operations. Following leaks by Miloš Medenica, fugitive Nikola Mirić has begun disclosing detailed information regarding his operations inside “Ćacilend” (a notorious criminal hub).
Lazić concluded that while Mirić’s claims should be handled with caution, his insider knowledge regarding hidden arsenals aligns perfectly with prior intelligence. The sudden public whistleblowing, Lazić noted, is simply the standard reaction of an abandoned partner: “The love between the government and one criminal group has passed. Now, like any jilted lover, they are seeking vengeance by exposing the regime’s darkest secrets.”
