BELGRADE: REPLACEMENTS IN JUDICIARY

BELGRADE, March 21 (Hina) - Following Thursday's arrest of Serbian Deputy State Prosecutor Milan Sarajlic, suspected of collaboration with the "Zemun Clan", Serbian State Prosecutor Sinisa Simic was temporarily suspended on Friday and replaced by a former head of the Novi Sad police, Djordje Ostojic. #L# According to police reports, Sarajlic admitted to having obstructed many investigations against members of the "Zemun Clan", as well as of having informed them of proceedings that were conducted against them and of having received 150,000 euros in exchange for information about the whereabouts of a protected witness. The money was part of one million euros the clan promised to give him if he was appointed special prosecutor. In line with a decision by Serbia's acting president Natasa Micic, Novi Sad District Court president Sonja Brkic was appointed Serbian Supreme Court president, replacing Leposava Karamarkovic who resigned on Thursday night. Serbia's Justice Minister Vladan Batic stated that since the assassination of Premier Zoran Djindjic on March 12, the police had arrested about 2,500 people, of whom about 1,000 were still in custody. Batic said the police continued investigations against officials in the prosecution and judiciary, believed to have close links with organised crime. The police are questioning judges with Belgrade's Fourth Municipal Court, he said. The judges are responsible for having released Dejan Milenkovic Bagzi, suspected of an attempt on Djindjic's life on February 21. (hina) sp rml sb