PODGORICA, April 8, 2026 – The Mayor of Pljevlja, Dario Vraneš, a member of political party “Nova srpska demokratija”, has been fined €500 for an offensive Instagram post targeting the executive director of the Centre for Investigative Journalism of Montenegro (CIN-CG), Milka Tadić Mijović.
As reported by Vijesti, the Misdemeanour Court in Bijelo Polje, Pljevlja division, found Vraneš guilty on March 19 for harassing Tadić Mijović as a woman through an Instagram post published on December 4 last year, thereby violating her dignity and causing feelings of humiliation and offence.
In December 2025, commenting on a statement by Tadić Mijović in an article published by Vijesti, Vraneš wrote on Instagram: “Tell us, old woman, are you a witch? I am, my lord, there’s no use hiding it.”
In the ruling, Judge Ana Bulatović stated that Vraneš had committed an offence under the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination and imposed a €500 fine. He is required to pay the fine within 15 days of the decision becoming final, with the possibility of a reduction if half the amount is paid within the specified deadline.
Prosecution: Statement Discriminatory; Defence: Political Polemic
In her closing statement, Head of the Basic State Prosecutor’s Office in Pljevlja, Sanja Golubović, maintained the request to initiate misdemeanor proceedings and proposed that the court find Vraneš guilty and sanction him in accordance with the law.
Golubović argued that the offence had been proven, noting that the statement was not merely directed at the journalist as a public figure, but had an insulting and degrading character toward a woman, thereby encouraging discrimination. She warned that such messages in the public sphere can foster intolerance and harmful social patterns, stressing the need for preventive action to avoid similar situations and to send a clear message that such conduct will be sanctioned.
In his defence, Vraneš denied responsibility, stating that the disputed content was a political response to Tadić Mijović’s public statements. He said he had quoted literary verses in a political context and had no intention to insult or humiliate. He added that he respects Tadić Mijović, as well as all women, and that the exchange should be seen as political debate rather than a personal attack.
Tadić Mijović: The Post Deeply Affected Me
Tadić Mijović stated that Vraneš’s post deeply affected her and that she experienced it as a personal insult and a form of discrimination—not only against her, but against women more broadly. She added that the statement triggered a wave of insults, threats, and inappropriate comments on social media and online portals.
She emphasised that, as a woman, a mother, and a public figure, she feels the consequences of such speech, and that it is particularly concerning when such messages come from someone holding high public office. She warned that such statements can incite violence and deepen discrimination, with serious consequences not only for her personally but for society as a whole.
Court: Violation of Dignity Established
The court found that Vraneš published the contested post on Instagram on December 4, 2025, accompanied by a laughing emoji and the song “Moja baka srca ima,” which, in the court’s view, violated Tadić Mijović’s dignity and caused feelings of humiliation and offence.
The court also referred to the opinion of the Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms from December 30, 2025, which found that Vraneš’s statement encouraged discrimination and misogynistic speech toward women. The court accepted Tadić Mijović’s testimony and the submitted evidence as clear and credible, concluding that the offence had been proven.
Vraneš’s defence—that the post was a political response and a quotation from Njegoš—was rejected, as the court found that such a comparison exceeded the limits of permissible criticism and harmed her reputation. It noted that Tadić Mijović is not a politician, but a journalist expressing criticism of views she considered socially harmful, rather than engaging in personal attacks.
“The court finds it unacceptable to insult a woman using expressions such as ‘old woman’ and ‘witch.’ The fact that such language may be linked to quoting a literary figure cannot justify the statements made, as freedom of expression does not include the right to insult or degrade the dignity of another person,” the ruling states.
The court concluded that Vraneš’s post contained elements of disparagement and the spreading of negative stereotypes about women, as well as discrimination.
“For these reasons, the court considers the defendant’s defence to have been presented with the aim of avoiding liability for the offence,” the ruling adds.
The court further found that Vraneš acted with direct intent, being aware of his actions and their prohibited nature, and knowingly causing distress, humiliation, and a violation of personal dignity to Tadić Mijović.
The prescribed fine for this offence ranges from €150 to €2,000.
As aggravating circumstances, the court considered that the offence was committed with direct intent and that the defendant is a public official, from whom a higher level of responsibility and restraint is expected. As mitigating factors, the court noted his proper conduct during the proceedings and the fact that he had not been previously sanctioned for similar offences in the past two years.
Taking all this into account, the court imposed a €500 fine, finding it sufficient to achieve the purpose of punishment and to deter similar conduct in the future.
Vraneš has the right to appeal this decision before the Higher Misdemeanour Court of Montenegro within eight days of receiving the written judgment.