Serbian Radical Party (SRS) leader Vojislav Seselj denied claims that he invented the incident that caused the early departure of a Croatian parliamentary delegation from Belgrade.

The ultra-nationalist MP told reporters in the Serbian parliament that he did rip up and trample on a Croatian flag and then swore at members to the Croatian delegation.

Asked why there was no evidence that the incident happened, Seselj said his fellow MPs did not record it because they did not plan the incident in advance.

“Are you saying that we invented the whole thing? And the fools bought it? That would be excellent if it were true. We did not invet it. Why did they go back to Zagreb if we did? Only because of our press release? Ask the police if they have a video of the entrance to parliament,” Seselj said.  

The Serbian Parliament says there is no video of Seselj allegedly defacing a Croatian flag. N1 Television asked the Serbian Parliament for a copy of the security camera video of the incident but was told that there is no video of the alleged incident.

“The video surveillance of that section of the Serbian Parliament does not cover the area where flags are displayed,” the parliament security service said in a reply.

The alleged incident was not witnessed or reported by any of the journalists and media crews present in parliament at the time that the Serbian Radical Party claims it happened.