# Villa of SAJ commander Igor Žmirić Category: Above the law Period: from Feb 2023 Outcome: No one investigated (as of 4 Feb 2026) According to KRIK, Colonel Igor Žmirić, commander of the Special Anti-Terrorist Unit (SAJ) since November 2025, and his wife bought a plot of land below Mount Avala from Nenad Šekularac, who was convicted of attempted murder, and a company owned by Šekularac's wife is building them a villa. A valuation commissioned by KRIK puts the villa at more than €400,000, while Žmirić's salary is a little over €2,000 a month. No public response from the Interior Ministry, the prosecution or the Anti-Corruption Agency has been found. In November 2026 Žmirić was arrested and remanded in custody in proceedings stemming from the Marko Kričak affair, and the Interior Ministry temporarily removed him as commander. ## SAJ commander Police Colonel Igor Žmirić was appointed commander of the Special Anti-Terrorist Unit (SAJ) on 7 November 2025, a few months after its long-serving commander Spasoje Vulević retired. Before that he was deputy to JZO commander Marko Kričak. According to KRIK, students recognised him among the police officers who took them to the garage of the Government building on 14 August 2025 (this is part of the Marko Kričak affair). ## Plot and villa below Avala On 3 February 2026, KRIK reported that Žmirić and his wife had bought a plot of about 10 ares in the Avalske doline development below Mount Avala from Nenad Šekularac, who was convicted of attempted murder in 2012, and that a company owned by Šekularac's wife is building them a villa with a swimming pool. According to the building permit, construction costs more than 10 million dinars, and an agency hired by KRIK estimated the villa's market value at more than €400,000. Žmirić earns a little over €2,000 a month. ## What Šekularac and Žmirić say Šekularac confirmed that he is building the villa. He said Žmirić had sold his flat, that he sold Žmirić the villa "at the lowest possible price" and that he is helping him because Žmirić does not have the money to pay all at once. He claims he was wrongly convicted. Žmirić declined to talk and referred journalists to the Interior Ministry. ## Vetting and the source of the assets Criminologist Dušan Stanković said the security vetting had been called into question and that the source of Žmirić's assets should be investigated. No public response from the Interior Ministry, the prosecution or the Anti-Corruption Agency to the reporting on the villa has been found. ## Arrest over the Government garage On 4 November 2026, the Interior Ministry announced that, on the orders of the First Basic Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade, eight police officers and one former officer had been placed in custody for up to 48 hours on suspicion of abuse and torture in the Government garage. Among them is Žmirić, in his capacity as commander of the Special Anti-Terrorist Unit (SAJ). The prosecution questioned them and sought detention for all nine. On 6 November, the First Basic Court ordered them detained for up to 30 days, citing the risk of influencing witnesses and public disquiet. The same day, the Interior Ministry temporarily removed him from his post as SAJ commander, and the unit is being led by the deputy commander. These proceedings belong to the Marko Kričak affair, not the villa affair. ## Participants - [Igor Žmirić](https://odgovornost.rs/en/osobe/igor-zmiric): He and his wife are building a villa valued at more than €400,000, money his salary of about €2,000 does not explain (responsible) - [Nenad Šekularac](https://odgovornost.rs/en/osobe/nenad-sekularac): He confirmed to KRIK that he is building the villa, saying he sold it "at the lowest possible price" and is helping because the buyer cannot pay all at once (commented on the case) - [Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia](https://odgovornost.rs/en/organizacije/mup-srbije): It announced that Žmirić had been appointed commander of the SAJ by decision of the police director (commented on the case) - [KRIK](https://odgovornost.rs/en/organizacije/krik): It reported the purchase of the plot and an estimate that the villa is worth more than €400,000, with construction costs of about 85,000 (oversight and the public) ## Sources - [Radio Slobodna Evropa: Igor Žmirić appointed commander of Serbia's Special Anti-Terrorist Unit](): 7 Nov 2025 - [KoSSev: New commander of the Special Anti-Terrorist Unit appointed](): 7 Nov 2025 - [Vreme: New SAJ commander chosen: a Vučić loyalist and Kričak's man](): 7 Nov 2025 - [KRIK: Secrets of “Avalske doline”: a man convicted of attempted murder is building a €400,000 villa for the SAJ commander](): 3 Feb 2026 - [KoSSev: Who is Igor Žmirić, the new SAJ commander: a biography entwined with the JSO legacy and accusations of brutality against students](): 8 Nov 2025 - [N1: KRIK: a man convicted of attempted murder is building a €400,000 villa for the SAJ commander](): 3 Feb 2026 - [021.rs: Who is building the SAJ commander's villa?](): 3 Feb 2026 - [Vreme: KRIK: The new SAJ commander's €400,000 villa and the builders with criminal ties](): 3 Feb 2026 - [N1: The SAJ commander, a villa and convicted friends: how did Žmirić pass security vetting?](): 4 Feb 2026 - [Telegraf: Igor Žmirić, SAJ commander: All members of this elite unit know their role well](): 23 Oct 2026 - [Serbian Times: He called on the police to serve the state, not the government – did the new SAJ chief feel targeted?! He hit back at former commander Vulević!](): 23 Oct 2026 - [Danas: Danas learns: SAJ commander Igor Žmirić taken into custody](): 4 Nov 2026 - [Nova.rs: SAJ commander Igor Žmirić arrested](): 4 Nov 2026 - [RTS: SAJ commander and several JZO members arrested, suspected of abusing students in the Government building garage](): 4 Nov 2026 - [Nova.rs: Interior Ministry speaks out on Igor Žmirić's arrest](): 4 Nov 2026 - [KRIK: SAJ commander Igor Žmirić arrested](): 4 Nov 2026 - [Insajder: Nine suspects questioned over abuse in the Government of Serbia garage; prosecution seeks detention](): 6 Nov 2026 - [N1: Prosecution seeks detention for Žmirić and those arrested in the "garage" case](): 6 Nov 2026 - [N1: Žmirić and other suspects remanded in custody in case of abuse of students in the Serbian Government garage](): 6 Nov 2026 - [Nova.rs: Prosecution orders detention for Igor Žmirić and nine police officers suspected of torturing students and other citizens in the Government of Serbia garage](): 6 Nov 2026 - [Vreme: Suspected abuse and torture: Žmirić and eight other police officers ordered into detention](): 6 Nov 2026 - [RTS: Žmirić and eight other Interior Ministry officers suspected of abuse and torture in the Government of Serbia garage ordered into detention](): 6 Nov 2026 - [N1: Igor Žmirić temporarily removed from duty](): 6 Nov 2026 - [Danas: Interior Ministry: SAJ commander Igor Žmirić temporarily suspended from duty](): 6 Nov 2026 - [Vreme: Interior Ministry: Igor Žmirić suspended](): 6 Nov 2026 --- Source: Odgovornost, https://odgovornost.rs/en/afere/vila-komandanta-saj As of: 6 Nov 2026 Licence: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)