Serbian actor and director Dragan Bjelogrlic yesterday before The first basic court stated that on August 23 last year in a hotel in Niš, when he hit the director Predrag Antonievic, defended his honor, they write in Serbian Courier.

- To begin with, I want to say that that evening I defended my honor, but in the wrong way - said Bjeligrlic at the beginning of his presentation.

- I was wrong to fall for Predrag Antonijevic's provocations, which lasted for almost two years. I've been acting since I was 14 years old, I've been on the public stage for 45 years, you can't find any of my excesses. It is impossible at the age of 58 to become a bully overnight. As much as I am aware of my mistake, I have not committed a crime - he said.

During the two-hour presentation of his defense, Bjelogrlic described that his relationship with Antonijevic was correct and that they even collaborated in the series "My Father's Killers", but that after that they no longer had a business relationship. As he stated, everything started in January 2020, when Antonijevic sent the media a letter and email allegedly sent to him by Bjelogrlic, in which Antonijevic accuses him of "bribery and corruption".

Before the incident in Nis, as he stated, they met several times by chance, when Antonievic called him derogatory names and repeated that he belongs in prison. On the fateful evening, Antonievic, as Bjelogrlic claims, appeared uninvited at the celebration of the "Dirty Blood" film crew and repeated the same insults several times in front of people.

- Katarina Radivojevic she asked me 'is Gaga provoking you', later in the hearing, and I know why, she said she didn't say that - the actor stated before the court, stating that he was upset and annoyed, but that he entered the lobby with his team, when they again heard Antonijevic's provocations.

- I headed to the toilet, I heard him say "I'm going to jail", I lost control, approached him, asked him how long he was going to provoke me and slapped him. He tried something with his legs, reached for an ashtray or a bottle with his hand, I grabbed his hands and gave him a few more blows with my fist - said Bjelogrlic, stating that he is sure that this would not have happened if Antonievic had not reached for the bottle with his hand .

- They separated us, I went to get my coat, and then the second part of the fight happened. He attacked me, knocked me to the floor and gave me several blows, and then they separated us again - Bjelogrlic added.

Otherwise, during the presentation of the defense, he stated that on several occasions he himself was a witness when Antonievic collided with other persons in the same way.

VIDEO | Date of Bjelogrlic's trial for attack on director known: Prison sentence sought

Supreme Court of Cassation rules: Actor and director Dragan Bjelogrlic to stand trial in Belgrade

The trial of Dragan Bjelogrlic for physical attack on Predrag Gaga Antonijevic has started