By Montenegrin public broadcaster should look completely different than it did four years ago—especially considering that nearly €80 million has been invested into RTCG during that time. The money has gone into glitz and glamour—millions spent on renovating and “beautifying” the building, electric and other vehicles have been purchased, giant LED screens installed, and salaries have skyrocketed. Yet, in terms of journalistic quality, very little has actually changed.
MONITOR: The Media Union has pointed out that, even after seven years, there has been no progress in the trial concerning the attempted murder of journalist Olivera Lakić. Is this case unique, or are there other unresolved attacks on journalists?
CAMOVIĆ-VELIČKOVIĆ: Montenegro has reduced the number of unresolved attacks on journalists—not by solving them, but because the cases have simply expired due to the statute of limitations. That trend seems likely to continue, because there’s no real progress. In recent years, we’ve acknowledged some improvement in how the police and prosecution handle new cases, but we refuse to let the older ones be forgotten. That negligence—possibly even deliberate—remains on the state. That’s why we recently reminded the public that, seven years on, absolutely nothing has been done in the case of Olivera Lakić. Her case has become a symbol of impunity and of institutions’ unwillingness to defend the core values of a free and democratic society.
Yes, a trial has technically started against the alleged attackers—but it’s been nothing but delays, and now the case is even being handed over to a different judge. In just three years, the statute of limitations will run out on the charge of causing serious bodily harm, which is what the attackers are currently being prosecuted for. At this pace, the case is going nowhere. So the real question is: what is the state’s answer to this, and what can the victims expect? Is a lifetime of police protection the solution? Earlier cases like the beatings of Tufik Softić and Mladen Stojović, or the arson attacks on Vijesti’s cars, also expired without resolution. It seems people have forgotten that the EU once made it clear—Montenegro will not join until it resolves past attacks on journalists. And yet, nothing has been done. The murder of Duško Jovanović should, in my opinion, be at the very top of that list.
Read the full interview on the MONITOR weekly website.
