Serbia: The man who unintentionally came to own a cemetery

DW (English)

In 2007, Slavisa Jovanovic's father sold a plot of land to the village authorities. When the full price was not paid, Jovanovic sued. After almost a decade, the court's final ruling was not what anyone expected.

Transcript

00:00In 2007, Slaviša Jovanović's father sold a plot of land to his village so the local cemetery could be extended.

00:08When the full agreed price of 660,000 Serbian dinars, or 5,600 euros, was not paid,

00:15his son sued the municipality of Palilula, which was responsible for the matter.

00:20After a long legal battle, the Court of Appeal ruled that instead of paying for the plot in full,

00:25the authorities should return it to its original owner.

00:29Now, however, there were 150 graves on it.

00:43The judge was shocked because the municipal court in Niš had twice ruled in Jovanović's favour,

00:48ordering that he be paid the outstanding sum of 150,000 dinars, or 1,280 euros.

00:55The municipality appealed both times.

01:17For a number of reasons, the case turned out to be much more complicated than originally anticipated.

01:22Finally, the Court of Appeal ruled that not only should the plot of land be returned to Jovanović,

01:27but he should pay the court 180,000 dinars in taxes, which is more than what he was owed by the municipality.

01:53He offered me to stop the burial. I didn't accept it.

01:58It was uncomfortable for me to stop the burial when more people were being buried.

02:23The only option now is to bury them in the old cemetery or in the old place,

02:29as a second burial. That's the only option. There is no other.

02:37Bratislav Vučković, president of the municipality of Palilula,

02:41says that he only found out about the matter from the media, and thinks that this is the first case of its kind.

02:47He believes that there must be another solution.

02:53I would like to propose a deal with Mr. Siniša,

02:57so that this activity continues as they imagined it to be,

03:03so that the plot is used for the purpose of a rural burial,

03:07and so that if it is determined that the money has not been paid,

03:13the problem will be solved.

03:17Jovanović agrees that this is the only way forward,

03:20because it would finally draw a line under a saga that began 17 years ago.

03:24But...

03:29That's why Jovanović is determined to raise the matter with Serbia's president,

03:33Aleksandar Vučić, and possibly seek justice outside the country.

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