Due to continuous insults published on the “Aktuelno” portal, “Vijesti” journalist Dragana Šćepanović suffered emotional distress. Some of her fellow citizens, as well as certain family members, began to avoid her, and she was forced to seek professional medical help.
Furthermore, as she stated at a hearing in the Basic Court in Podgorica, she was indirectly warned to avoid topics that might be inconvenient for Zoran Ćoćo Bećirović, the owner of “Ski-Resort Kolašin – 1450”, the company that founded the media outlet.
The hearing was held following Šćepanović’s lawsuit against the founders of “Aktuelno” due to defamatory comments that targeted her directly.
According to Vijesti, everything started after Šćepanović began reporting on the rapid urban expansion in Kolašin over the past three to four years.
“That’s when articles mentioning my name started appearing on the ‘Aktuelno.me’ portal. Since Ski-Resort Kolašin was one of the biggest investors in Kolašin, and considering the large-scale construction at the time, my reporting was naturally connected to them. Before publishing any article, I always reached out to them via email, requesting clarifications and responses, which I published in full. During that period, the defendant filed several complaints to the ‘Vijesti’ ombudsman regarding my reporting. Only one of these complaints was upheld—when I mistakenly identified an interviewee as a member of the defendant’s union because he introduced himself as such,” Šćepanović said.
She stated that despite this, she continued sending official inquiries to Ski-Resort Kolašin 1450’s email, until former Kolašin mayor Marta Šćepanović informed her that Bećirović wanted to meet with her.
“I agreed, and we met at the Ski-Resort Kolašin restaurant. At that point, defamatory articles were already occasionally appearing on ‘Aktuelno.me’, violating journalistic ethics. However, since I am a public figure, I believed I had to endure a certain level of criticism. But after each of my reports about Ski-Resort Kolašin and the construction in Kolašin, the defendant would publish articles insulting and demeaning me. I was labeled a ‘racketeer,’ ‘part of the media mafia,’ a member of an ‘organized crime group,’ ‘mentally unstable,’ and most significantly, a ‘hindrance to everything good for Kolašin,’” she said.
Public Reactions and Fear
Šćepanović explained that the reader comments under those articles affected her deeply.
“I am a single mother living in Kolašin, and these publications weighed heavily on me. Every day, dozens of people approached me, telling me that it wasn’t safe for me to cover these topics. I heard rumors that the defendant’s owner threatens those who cross him. The overall situation created an impression that if a project failed to materialize, I was to blame, as if I had the power to stop it. For example, if an ordinary citizen refused to sell their land, people would approach me, asking, ‘How can you do this?’ Additionally, individuals I interviewed were also mocked in ‘Aktuelno.me’ articles,” Šćepanović stated in court.
She emphasized that the publication of these articles instilled fear in her and altered the way her community treated her.
“I noticed changes in the behavior of people close to me and even my own relatives who worked for Bećirović. Some people started avoiding me. During that time, only two people were willing to walk with me through the streets of Kolašin. It also affected my work—when I reached out for interviews, people refused, fearing they’d be attacked on ‘Aktuelno’ the next day. Since Kolašin is a small town, this made me feel even more ashamed. I avoided situations where people might ask me about those articles and whether they were true. I want to highlight that the defendant never contacted me before publishing defamatory articles about me on ‘Aktuelno.’ That is why I describe these articles as professionally unsubstantiated. Despite this, I always sent official inquiries before publishing any of my reports, but in most cases, I received no response. The two times they did reply, their responses were only insults. They never addressed my actual questions, which I clearly pointed out in my articles for ‘Vijesti’,” she said.
She also stated that people warned her that she could face the same fate as a fellow journalist from “Pobjeda,” who was physically attacked by Bećirović and several others.
“Every day, dozens of people approached me, telling me that it wasn’t safe to cover these topics. I heard rumors that the defendant’s owner threatens people who oppose him. The overall situation created an atmosphere where if a project wasn’t completed, I was blamed,” she added.
Determined to Pursue Justice
She emphasized that she will persist in legal proceedings, stating:
“Above all, I want to contribute to creating an environment where young journalists can work freely, without pressure, harassment, or fear.”
The Basic Court in Podgorica is expected to deliver a verdict within 30 days.
Source: Vijesti