Security expert Drizan Shala argues that the New York Times article exposing the Serbian President’s ties to organized crime and the Counselor of the United States Department of State Derek Chollet validating it as authentic in front of the U.S. Senate last week, is a clear message for Aleksandar Vučić. Speaking to Euronews Albania, Shala says that the CIA is blackmailing the Serbian leader.

“The New York Times is de facto affiliated to the CIA. It had access to sensitive information, leaked from [Serbia’s] Security Intelligence Agency archives. We could say that the CIA, through its structures within the Serbian Intelligence Agency, released this information to the public opinion, to blackmail Vučić and to send a message to the European Union, that Vučić is not what he appears in official meetings, but is a protagonist of criminal acts. The New York Times article is to show Vučić that the game he has become a part of, between the United States, the European Union and Russia can cost him ‘his head’,” argued Shala.

Speaking of the internal politics of Serbia, the security expert declared that the opposition leader, Boško Obradović, is currently out of the country as he has information of his life being endangered.

According to Shala, the Serbian oppositionist has taken refuge in a safe place in Europe.

“Obradović, the only democrat oppositionist who disagrees with Vučić is outside of Serbia. He is staying in an EU member state and I believe he has information he can be physically eliminated. He is the person believed to overthrow Vučić, who is seeking to destabilize the Western Balkan region. High officials suggested he leave the country, because his life is in danger,” stated Shala.