Piperović: Unprecedented pressure was placed on Novović to arrest Lazović

At the session of the Committee for Political System, Judiciary and Administration, unprecedented pressure was exerted on Chief Special Prosecutor (GST) Vladimir Novović to arrest former assistant police director Zoran Lazović, lawyer Zoran Piperović said.

At the press conference, he said that the behavior of members of the parliamentary majority at the Board session, which was held on April 11, was scandalous.

"Unprecedented pressure was exerted on the GST to have Lazović arrested that evening or tomorrow. From Prime Minister (Dritan) Abazović, Momo Koprivica to the MP of the Democratic Front, everyone had only one word that sound logic cannot explain," he said. Piperovic.

According to him, the mantra was - arrest Lazović.

"In the 21st century, in the largest legislative body, experiencing a lynching by deputies who swear by European values ​​is something that deserves attention," Piperović added.

As he stated, without any evidence or foundation, and based on the impression and desire to arrest one man, inappropriate influence was exerted on the GST.

Piperović said that the intention of organizing the press conference was not to defend themselves, but to point out that the new government is targeting one man, while not knowing any facts.

"What the parliamentary majority is doing is impudent and ill-mannered towards an individual and a family," added Piperović.

Lazović said that as a member of the service, he could not, and had no desire, to deny some allegations and communicate with the media earlier.

"For the sake of the citizens of Montenegro and my family, the time has definitely come for the other side to be heard," Lazović said.

Asked how he comments on Abazović's statement that his son Petar Lazović was at a celebration at Radoj Zvicer's, he said that this is a notorious untruth, and that it is very easy for everyone to verify.

"I comment like every statement he makes, when it comes to me and my family," said Lazović.

He said that the celebration took place in Kotor.

"Petar Lazović, Zvicer, Belivuk were not at that celebration, but there were a hundred people, and there were also police structures that did their job professionally. Please, check, I say that this is a notorious untruth, a lie that he told this time as well Lazović said.

When asked if he asked for the lifting of the ban on entry to Montenegro for Veljko Belivuk and Marko Miljković, Lazović said that he gave the answer to that to the special prosecutor on two occasions, and that he would present the details the next time he received an invitation.

Asked if he received an invitation from the Special State Prosecutor's Office (SDT) to give a statement in connection with that case, Lazović answered in the negative.

"I have not received an invitation for a new investigation that has been opened. I expect and will be very happy to respond to that invitation and give an additional explanation," said Lazović.

He said that this issue has recently captured the attention of the public and caused major controversies "which they used as they saw fit".

"I cannot tell you some things for two reasons. An investigation is open and I would not like to say any details about it," added Lazović.

He said that for the operation that was carried out then, which also had an international character, everything was done according to the law, down to the last detail.

"Several organizational units of the Police Administration participated in it, five or six of them, the Prosecutor's Office, the investigating judge of the High Court also participated, Lazović added.

The epilogue of that operation, he said, was the prevention of three liquidations that were being prepared.

"People were arrested, weapons, explosives, flats, and a car were found. I am proud of that operation and I use the opportunity to congratulate all the guys who participated in it," said Lazović.

Asked how he comments on the allegations that he was one of the people who staged the coup, Lazović said that he did not participate in designing or faking the coup, and that this is completely untrue.

"At that time I did not work in any state body, I was informed about the coup by the media, I had no operational knowledge about the coup," added Lazović.

When asked if it was true that his retirement was one of the main conditions for Montenegro to join NATO, he replied that it was completely untrue, especially since he was not in the operational structures.

As he stated, from 2010 to May 1, 2015, ANB retired three times.

Lazović said that in 2015, about 70 officials were retired, including himself.

Asked for a comment on Abazović's accusations regarding the preparation of his liquidation as a sign of retaliation, Piperović said that it was for these accusations that Abazović was sued in a civil suit for non-material damages.

Lazović said that they suffer torture "from the pathological liar, manipulator and fraudster Abazović".

"Those accusations of his are so serious that, for a year now that he has been making them, no one from the authorities has ever invited me to take a single statement," Lazović said.

According to his words, Abazović has been talking for a year about preparing retaliation, liquidation, and sponsoring the smuggling of cocaine and cigarettes.

"And he means to attack me and my family. Mr. Abazović, there are no chains or padlocks or bars with which he will attack me, nor any member of my family, so that he can carry out some of his plans," said Lazović.

He said that Abazović is deliberately working according to the agenda he received from August 30, 2020 outside Montenegro.

"On a daily basis, he receives instructions on what to do," Lazović added.

In response to a journalist's question, he said that he still has police protection as a protected person.

Asked if he could say something about the attendance at Safet Kalić's wedding, Lazović said that he was under an obligation not to answer questions related to items marked with secrecy.

"Let them make a decision on removing the secrecy mark, I will inform the public about everything, why I was there and what happened. I have no problem telling everything that is necessary if the secrecy mark is removed," said Lazović.

Asked to comment on the arrest of the President of the Municipality of Budva, Milo Božović, he said that he fully respects the presumption of innocence.

"If it is proven that he did something, he will be held accountable," added Lazović.

When asked if he was in possession of an encrypted phone, he said that he had never had one.

"I never even had a smartphone," said Lazović.

When asked if the allegations that he was the head of the Seventh Directorate of the State Security Service are true, he answered in the negative.

Asked if he expected SDT to arrest him, Lazović said that he was completely relaxed and that "there are no chains or padlocks that can frighten him".

"Zoran and the Lazović family are not going anywhere from Montenegro, let them go, if Zoran Lazović is guilty, what is the problem with him being arrested and held accountable. But I know that I am not, that they have nothing," said Lazović.

He said that in August 2010 he left the operational structures of ANB and was assigned to the position of advisor to the Agency's director.

"Since that date, I have never attended any collegium of ANB, I was never aware of the operational data base, which measures are applied in ANB, because the computer that was on my desk did not have such data," said Lazović.

He stated that he left ANB on May 1, 2015, and that from then until June 1, 2019, he did not work in any state body.

As he said, from June 1, 2019 to March 1, 2021, he was in the Police Directorate and covered the position of assistant director and head of the Sector for the fight against organized crime and corruption.

Lazović said that the organizational setup of that sector consisted of four departments and the Special Police Department.

"In the last 13 years, except for a year and a half, I have not been in the Police Directorate in operational data, for nine years I have not been in a situation where I have a database of operational data," said Lazović.