Opposition leader: More to testify about sex scandal in Serbia if protected

marinika tepić
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The opposition official who revealed a scandal involving a local politician who is alleged to have forced women to trade sexual favours for jobs walked into the police station in Serbia's central town of Jagodina, to give a statement on the allegations.

Marinika Tepic, deputy leader of the Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP), was summoned to make a statement about the allegations before the prosecution decided to transfer the case to the city of Kraljevo following claims of possible bias.

She had publically accused Dragan Markovic Palma, the head of Jagodina’s local Assembly and an MP who heads the United Serbia party, a part of the ruling coalition, on several occasions of organising the so-called bunga-bunga parties which allegedly ended with the pimping of girls and women.

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After leaving the police station, on Monday, Tepic told reporters she described what she had directly learned from at least seven people, both witnesses and victims, who were ready to testify against the local strongman for allegedly forcing women in Jagodina to trade sexual favours for jobs and benefits.

„However, what I did not dare to disclose are their identities,“ she said, adding that without the protection of the victims and witnesses, she could not put anyone at risk.

„Had I disclosed their identities, I’m sure their names would have been on Dragan Markovic Palma’s desk or his phone by tonite,“ Tepic said.

She added that, according to the Criminal Procedure Code, a prosecutor had a right to secure the status of a protected witness to all and each of them.

„Regardless of the outcome, if what we have done so far has saved a single girl, that’s big,“ Tepic said to the crowd’s applause.

Tanjug/ Tanja Valič

Markovic denied claims, asking for polygraph tests for him and Tepic, while almost 400 women employed in the town’s institutions and public services filed a joint lawsuit against Tepic for „causing panic and unrest“ in Jagodina.

A crowd of some 200 people, including opposition activists and her party leader Dragan Djilas, staged a show of support outside the police station.