Today, the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) reported that police have apprehended four individuals, including former Nis mayor Dragana Sotirovski, on allegations of abusing their official positions, resulting in a 460 million dinar loss to the city.

The Interior Ministry announced that the detainees include the ex-mayor of Niš, the former commander of the city’s Emergency Situations Headquarters DS (52), the manager of “DN PR radnja za instalacije radovi Vodomonteri” from Lalinci DN (44), the authorized representative of that shop DN (42), and the manager of “Sim puk gradnje” from Malošište and ZS (65). They face charges of committing the crime of abuse of office.

It is alleged that from March 16, 2022, to July 9, 2024, she misused her official capacity by unlawfully employing the companies “DN PR” and “Sim puk gradnja” for various construction tasks within Niš, contrary to the Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Management Act and other relevant regulations.

Sotirovski is believed to have engaged these companies under the Disaster Risk Reduction Act provisions, avoiding the Public Procurement Act, despite the tasks being for investment maintenance and non-emergency situations, including the expansion of water supply and sewage systems, as well as constructing a new sewage network and supporting structures.

Suspicions indicate that these companies submitted significantly inflated offers compared to market values previously assessed by the Public Utility Company “Naissus” Niš and charged the city of Niš higher prices in their temporary and final situations.

This led to an illicit financial gain for the companies amounting to 460,322,637 dinars, impacting the city of Niš adversely, as stated in the announcement.

During the operation, 11 vehicles, along with several other trucks and construction machinery, were seized.

The suspects are being held for up to 48 hours and will be presented to the relevant prosecutor’s office along with a criminal report.

Dragana Sotirovski was apprehended at the Preševo border crossing as part of a previously declared anti-corruption initiative by Serbian authorities.

Sotirovski, born in 1973 in Aleksinac, holds a music school diploma and a degree from the Pedagogical Academy in her hometown. She graduated from the Faculty of Geography at the University of Belgrade and completed her master’s degree in tourism studies at the Faculty of Science and Mathematics in Niš.

Her career in journalism commenced in 1992 at the Third Channel of the former Television Belgrade, and five years later, she became a correspondent for RTS in Niš.

In a 2017 interview with “Niški Portal,” she acknowledged the presence of “party recruitment, position abuse, nepotism, cronyism, and various negative phenomena in Niš,” according to Istinomer.

Her biography mentions her role from 2015 to 2017 on the Local Anti-Corruption Forum Niš (LAF) and as president of the Information Commission of the Bulgarian National Council in Serbia until late 2018.

On December 27, 2017, she was appointed as the Head of the Niš Administrative District by the Government of the Republic of Serbia.

In June 2020, she topped the list “Aleksandar Vučić – for our children” in the City Assembly elections for Niš.

She was elected as the Mayor of Niš in August 2020, and in November 2021, she became a member of the party’s Presidency during the SNS Assembly.

In the local elections of June 2024, she did not appear on the coalition list surrounding the SNS, stating that this decision reflected a “change of generations” among the highest officials of the city and party.

On July 2024, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić remarked on the “horrific campaign” against Dragana Sotirovski, acknowledging that while she may have made mistakes, everyone does, and expressing his commitment to supporting his people.

After leaving her public office on August 12, 2024, she resumed her role in editorial operations at Radio Television of Serbia.

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