Lucic: The edited recording of the conversation with Miller did not damage Telekom Srbija’s reputation

Although it is not authentic, the recording - broadcast this summer by certain media outlets and online platforms - was placed within a broader political and media context.

In an interview with Euronews Serbia, Telekom Srbija CEO Vladimir Lucic shared his views on the entire case, stressing that he does not comment on the work of the prosecution, but that he regrets information leaking before the investigation is completed.

"I filed a criminal complaint stating that the recording was edited and illegally obtained, and I see from the press that Sten Miller did the same. It is in my interest that this investigation be carried through to the end, because there is a group of people who believe they are entitled to illegally monitor, edit recordings, and exert various forms of pressure – including personal pressure, which I will not discuss", Lucic said.

He emphasized that it is in his interest for the prosecution to fully clarify the case, including how the recording was made in Bulgaria, as this could reveal the mechanisms used by part of United Group.

Lucic recalled that both he and Sten Miller have publicly acknowledged meeting in person and speaking on multiple occasions. According to him, after the acquisition of United Group, Telekom Srbija entered into cooperation with the company, under which United Group maintained Net TV and part of Total TV until their migration to M:SAT. One of the topics of discussion, however, was Aleksandra Subotic, Director of United Media.

Foto: Milena Đorđević

Lucic said that Net TV discovered Subotic had a fictitious contract and, acting as a fictitious distributor, had been collecting fees from five countries amounting to several hundred thousand euros annually. He stated that Telekom Srbija terminated that contract and informed management that this practice had been ongoing for 12 years.

"United Media aggressively attacked both me and Sten Miller over Aleksandra Subotic, simply because facts need to be clearly stated", Lucic added.

He explained that the group managing United Media benefits from preserving the previous situation, in which a minority owner exercised control through Subotic, whom they continued to call a director even though she was never the legally responsible person.

Lucic claimed that Subotic edits news and controls media content, citing the 2019 Sadler report - the same report that led to the creation of N1 and which United Media now criticizes. He said he is unsure of her current formal position, but noted that she recently gave an interview signing herself as CEO of United Media.

Foto: Newsmax Balkans

According to Lucic, United Media management initially pressured to prevent a change in leadership, and after the minority owner lost a case in the Netherlands, they shifted tactics toward buying out the channels.

"There is a clear synchronization between the minority owner, Aleksandra Subotic, and the people working at United Media to ensure that these channels - although part of United Group and majority-owned by another company - continue to operate as they always have, in the interest of one individual, the minority owner", Lucic said.

He stressed that while this in itself is not problematic, the issue arises when these outlets present themselves as independent media while actually serving the interests of a single individual.

Comparing them with media owned by Telekom Srbija, Lucic stated:

"Media owned by Telekom Srbija have a clear pro-Western narrative - we aim to help Serbia become part of that system as soon as possible, and everything we do and communicate publicly is aligned with that goal".

By contrast, he said United Media channels cannot do the same because they serve the interests of one person. As a result, he claims, they repeatedly amplify criticism of Serbia’s president by Alexander Dugin, a Putin adviser who is on the U.S. sanctions list, and publish numerous negative articles about Christopher Hill, whom Lucic described as one of the best U.S. ambassadors ever, simply because they believe he supports the Serbian government.

Lucic said the entire situation is an attempt to preserve a system in which one individual continues to control the media despite not holding a managerial position, which he believes explains the recent campaign surrounding the recording.

"It was obvious to any ordinary listener - let alone an expert - that the recording was edited", he said.

Discussing the termination of the Net TV contract, Lucic stated that no compensation was paid and that the process was completed. He added that he was pleased the other side accepted the unilateral termination, since the contract itself was fictitious. What United Group chooses to do with its ten-year arrangement, he said, is their own matter.

Sten Miller, he noted, was not aware of the situation at the time, but Net TV employees had pointed out irregularities in operations.

"That’s how we found out - it’s very difficult to uncover such issues without employee assistance, especially in five less attractive markets. Miller had just arrived and was unaware, and we met because it was important for us to maintain continuity in supporting United Group on two projects that matter to us", Lucic explained.

He said Telekom Srbija and United Group moved from a commercial friendship to cooperation, with conflict emerging after the acquisition.

"Once the money came in, they fell out with Telekom Srbija and PPF over power redistribution, but Telekom Srbija was dragged into this without reason", he added.

Lucic stressed that the edited recording did not damage Telekom Srbija’s reputation, despite what he described as a seven-year campaign waged by United Group through various institutions.

"Over a five-year period, they hired Highgate Advisory, a powerful British lobbying firm. They had numerous plans - from trying to put me personally on a blacklist to launching initiatives across Europe and the U.S. aimed at undermining Telekom Srbija in financial institutions for four years", he said.

According to Lucic, the opposite occurred: the truth emerged, and Telekom Srbija became an even stronger partner to American and European institutions. He predicts United Group will face difficulties next year as a result.

"You cannot spend tens of millions of euros trying to undermine a company without institutions eventually scrutinizing you as well", he said.

Foto: Milena Đorđević

Lucic explained that the edited recording represents pressure on United Group’s new management to do what a certain group wants - namely, to assume managerial control so the same team continues running N1 and Nova S.

"This is more pressure on United Group’s management", he said, adding that as early as 2021, a 300-page report about him personally was submitted to the U.S. Congress.

While he says he is accustomed to far greater pressure, he believes the new United Group management is not, and that this is an attempt to force them into buying out the channels.

Lucic also recalled that Telekom Srbija twice offered to include N1 and Nova S in its distribution network.

In 2020, negotiations collapsed because United Media demanded an illegal condition: that Telekom carry N1 but not in areas where SBB operates, to avoid losing subscribers.

"That would not only be humiliating, but also a cartel agreement between two operators", Lucic said.

As a result, Telekom Srbija filed a criminal complaint against Aleksandra Subotic and a responsible individual from Slovenia—a case that, according to Lucic, has been sitting with the prosecutor’s office for five years.

Foto: Telekom Srbija

In 2025, Telekom again made what Lucic described as its best commercial offer: to distribute N1 and Nova S across its network.

"We wanted to put an end to content wars and ensure everyone had access to the same channels", he said.

Telekom offered the same fixed fee currently paid by PPF for SBB exclusivity, but proposed that the channels be available on both networks, with costs split evenly. This would have guaranteed the channels a top-20 position. The offer was rejected, Lucic said, in order to maintain exclusivity and preserve a narrative of political persecution.

"In both cases, Telekom Srbija formally offered - documented in writing and witnessed by hundreds of people via email - a far better business proposal to carry N1 and Nova S. Unfortunately, they declined", he emphasized.

Lucic concluded that the management seeking to control these channels prioritized political interests over business ones.

"If you are clearly working in the interest of one individual, then do not claim to be an independent media outlet", he said.

He praised the objectivity of outlets such as Euronews Serbia, Insajder, Newsmax, and Blic, which he considers largely independent. He noted that Serbian audiences can freely watch Croatian and Bosnian channels with very different editorial positions.

According to Lucic, the tactic of equating all independent journalism with N1 and Nova S is losing credibility internationally.

"That narrative has less and less grounding in international circles", he concluded.

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