BELGRADE, Serbia, June 15 (UPI) -- The prime suspect in the killing of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic appeared in court and pleaded innocent, the Politika newspaper reported Tuesday.
Milorad Lukovic not only denied the charges but went on the offensive, saying Djindjic's government had been involved in planning the sale of hundreds of pounds of heroin to western Europe.
Djindjic, a reformist, was assassinated by gunmen in March 2003 outside the headquarters of the Serbian government. His supporters say Lukovic was the chief architect of the assassination which was allegedly motivated by fears Djindjic was selling Serbia out to the West and his government's efforts to clean up organized crime.
The trial takes place as hardline nationalist Tomislav Nikolic steps up for a run off vote for the Serbian presidency. Nikolic, the candidate of the Serbian Radical Party, came in first in the initial round of voting Sunday. He faces Boris Tadic, a reformist, in the runoff June 27.
