“Vijesti” journalist, Jelena Jovanović, was questioned as a suspect before the Basic State Prosecutor’s Office, based on a complaint previously filed by former director of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (APC), Jelena Perović.
Perović, who is under suspicion for unlawful use of official position and causing damage to the state of Montenegro, filed the complaint claiming that articles published by Vijesti in November 2023, authored by Jovanović, violated the confidentiality of proceedings.
At that time, Vijesti reported that the former president of the Basic Court in Cetinje had, against regulations, sought and received guidance from Vesna Medenica on how to act in certain cases. This was stated in transcripts of their conversations, which are part of proceedings against the former president of the Supreme Court.
Jovanović: Prosecutors failed to establish validity of the criminal complaint
After her questioning, Jovanović said she learned today that she had held the status of a suspect for two years, and that “three prosecutors who handled the case during that time failed to do the most basic thing – establish the validity of the criminal complaint.”
She added that none of the three prosecutors in the case against her, for the alleged violation of procedure, determined the key fact before taking further steps – that the case against former Supreme Court president Vesna Medenica has been public since October 2022, while the articles subject to the criminal complaint were published a year later.
“Had they done that as the first step, they would have dismissed the criminal complaint as unfounded. Unfortunately, they did not, but by granting me the status of suspect they placed themselves on the side of the former judge, as well as all those who persecute and intimidate journalists and try to stifle media freedom,” she said.
She emphasized that it is clear to her “that this is being done by a former judge and former president of the Basic Court in Cetinje, who, in messages sent to Medenica that we published, expressed regret over the arrest of a member of an organized criminal group charged with the attempted murder of investigative journalist Olivera Lakić. What is unclear is that the prosecution supports her in this.”
Jovanović also added that Perović’s filing of a criminal complaint is, in fact, important for the recovery of society.
“Because by filing it, she has revealed the extent of legal ignorance of someone who for years held a judicial office and ‘dispensed justice.’ This is both necessary and healthy, and although I see it exactly for what it is – pressure on media freedom – I believe it acts as a filter that will clearly show who mourns criminals in uniform, who would like Montenegrin female journalists to be murdered, and who does not, as well as serving as a test balloon for all those who fear the publication of messages from the phone of the accused Medenica,” Jovanović said.
Source: Vijesti