MK Mountain Resort GM Nikola Avram apologizes to Insajder.net
Earlier today, Insajder.net revealed that the man, caught on Insajder.net video shoving our journalist Mina Milanovic and using his body to guard the general manager of company Beograd Na Vodi, which manages the Belgrade waterfront development project, is Nikola Avram, general manger of hospitality company MK Mountain Resort, which operates Grand Hotel on Mt. Kopaonik, hosting the Kopaonik Business Forum, also known as "Serbia's Davos." In the meantime, Avram sent an apology letter to Insajder.net. We publish the letter in full.
Insajder.net journalists were physically prevented from asking questions to Beograd Na Vodi GM Nikola Nedeljkovic. The incident occurred onMt.Kopaonik, hosting a business gathering known as "Serbia's Davos." We release a video footage of the incident.
Before a panel debate focusing on theUnited Arab Emirates' (UAE) investments inSerbia, Nedeljkovic promised to Insajder reporters he will answer their questions, but insisted they waited until the panel discussion, in which he took part, is over. Nedeljkovic's promise to answer Insajder.net questions can be viewed in this video.
As agreed, Insajder.net journalists waited for Nedeljkovic outside the conference room where paned "UAE's investments inSerbia" was taking place. When the panel was over, Nedeljkovic did not leave the conference room, but stayed in for the next panel devoted to the education sector. Insajder reporters and a cameraman were waiting outside the conference hall.
The incident started at the very door of the conference room where the panel was held.
When she saw Nedeljkovic coming out of the conference room, the Insajder journalist approached him, reminding him of his promise to give a statement.
On the other side of the hallway, a cameraman was waiting for Beograd Na Vodi GM to give a statement at the agreed place. Nedeljkovic was coming out the conference hall, accompanied by two males. When the journalist approached him, in an attempt to remind him of his promise to give a statement, the two males literally embraced Nedeljkovic, using their bodies to shield him from the present journalist, and shoved Insajder.net reporter Mina Milanovic, which can be seen in the video part played in slow motion.
After that, it can be seen that Beograd Na Vodi GM Nikola Nedeljkovic and two other males rushed down the hallway. Having taken Nedeljkovic out of the hall where reporters and forums participants were, the two males stopped for a moment in attempt to interrupt the recording. With their bodies and hands they covered the camera lens, which can be seen in the video, to give Nedeljkovic enough time to go far enough.
The man in Insajder.net video who shoved our journalist is Nikola Avram, general manager of MK Mountain Resort, which also operates Grand Hotel, hosting "Serbia's Davos." By physically preventing our reporters, Avram assisted Beograd Na Vodi GM Nikola Nedeljkovic in fleeing the scene, and then came back to prevent our cameraman from doing his job.
The entire incident took place before many in a packed hotel hall on Mt. Kopaonik.
We wanted to ask Nikola Nedeljkovic to comment on the information we have collected in our research into theBelgradewaterfront development project. The fact that Beograd Na Vodi GM Nikola Nedeljkovic managed to flee because his people physically prevented our journalist from asking questions does not mean that we will discontinue our daily efforts to obtain answers.
To remind you, company Beograd Na Vodi is a 32%-68% joint venture between the Serbian government and the UAE-based Belgrade Waterfront Capital Investment. Nedeljkovic was appointed by the majority owner in the company, two months after the signing of theBelgradewaterfront joint investment agreement.
Statement by Nikola Avram, MK Mountain Resort GM
I am very sorry that such a situation took place, I had no bad intention, nor was there any aggression on my part. I am not anyone's security guard, I did not use force, I only wanted to assist, as the said person, Nikola Nedeljkovic, was not feeling well at that moment. My least intention was to prevent any journalist crew from doing its job. I offer a personal apology for the misunderstanding that happened.
Best regards,
Nikola Avram, General Manager, MK Mountain Resort