President of the Assembly Andrija Mandic He launched an initiative to declare drug cartels terrorist organizations, which was supported by the roundtable participants, who said that the fight against organized crime must come first and that the best model must be found, and it was also heard that judges are a cancer in that fight.
This is the conclusion of yesterday's roundtable held at Villa Gorica, on the topic of "Initiative for declaring criminal clans as terrorist organizations", which discussed the legal framework and possibilities for combating organized crime through its recognition as a form of terrorism.
Stressing that a very bold process has begun, Mandić said that he is aware of the limitations, namely that European partners would certainly not welcome the introduction of a state of emergency as a good step, but that the fight against organized crime and corruption comes first.
"Based on what I saw at the Security Council, I firmly believe that we will have strong support from the President of the State and the Prime Minister for innovating our national security strategy and that through this dialogue, we will try to explain primarily to the citizens of Montenegro what it is about and how important it is to do this, that is, what Montenegro gains if it has this law and what it loses if it does not," said Mandić, emphasizing that the topic of organized crime must be imposed as number one in Montenegro:
"Because this is the biggest problem of this country. And if we have a problem, we have to tackle the problem... This is one of the solutions, whether they will have the support of the majority and the people, they will envy us a lot, I would like to give them strong support."
Previously, he emphasized that this is the last moment for a decisive fight for the recovery of the country and that Montenegro must no longer be allowed to be held hostage by crime.
In his introductory speech, Mandić stated that today it is difficult to find a judge who will convict dangerous criminals, saying that clans must no longer be allowed to prevent the administration of justice through kidnappings, murders and racketeering.
Minister of Justice, Bojan Božović, he replied that he believes that there are many brave judges in Montenegro.
"I believe that we have many more judges who have the courage to make decisions in difficult cases, but we also have an obligation to provide them with better and higher-quality working conditions and an obligation to once again consider issues related to their ethical and disciplinary responsibility through possible vetting," he said.
He added that it is important to strengthen the judiciary, prosecution and police, and that he sees Mandić's initiative as such.
"With the aim of ensuring that the fight against organized crime takes place with equal ferocity in all fields and across all branches of government," he said.
Božović pointed out that the justice department is working intensively on amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code, which should contribute to better procedural discipline in courtrooms, but also in the part of penal policy regarding illegal possession of weapons.
"Whatever the legal text, we must ensure fair treatment for everyone, we must raise the level of the rule of law, but on the other hand, we must protect our national internal security, which has often been undermined by the activities of organized criminal groups," said Božović.
Mandić replied that he would not bend over backwards, but would make the best decision.
CARTELS HAVE THEIR OWN MEDIA
Leader of the Movement for Change, Nebojsa Medojevic, he recalled that back in 2015, the Democratic Front identified organized crime as a key threat to the constitutional order, stability and security of Montenegro.
"Organized crime in Montenegro has a political background. It did not originate on the streets, in the underground, but in the offices of the top authorities - the president and the government. It was managed by key operatives of the security services, and key personnel in the police, prosecutor's office, and courts were included in that network," he said.
He pointed out that organized crime in Montenegro, in addition to its political background, also classifies as a terrorist organization an ideological background, adding that in many activities after the fall of the Democratic Party of Socialists, the protagonists are those who have been recognized by domestic and international security services as key leaders and soldiers of drug cartels.
"Who carry with them certain ideologies that, according to political theory, belong to extreme ideologies," he said.
He explained that those who "cleared" the way after the crime, prepared the ground, destroyed evidence, appear as ideological leaders of political processes...
Medojević pointed out that in a certain time interval, certain rights of murderers and criminals would be violated, and that decision-makers would be under pressure because of this, but that a radical move must be made.
He claimed that OKG still has influence through the opposition and that he therefore advocated banning DPS as the "political wing of organized crime."
"We allowed our drug cartels to have their own portals, their own media, to communicate with their members in Spuž through them... Because after August 30th, we did not implement any radical moves," he said, adding that all of this was registered by foreign partner services.
"All of this is impossible to introduce without introducing a state of emergency," he said, emphasizing that everyone must know that the fight against organized crime is the greatest act of patriotism.
Member of Parliament for the Europe Now Movement and Chairman of the Committee on Security and Defense Miodrag Laković He said he was surprised by Medojević's insensitivity to human rights.
"I think it's good that you, as the Security Council, have expressed your will to fight organized crime in this way," he told Mandic.
“CANCER-WOUND COURT”
Member of Parliament for New Serbian Democracy, Jovan Vučurović, pointed out that when Mandić proposed a solution, the critics on duty spoke up:
"With platitudes and generalities, and we don't know if they are criticizing on their own behalf, or on behalf of those who might be affected by these measures."
He said that the judiciary is a "cancer-like wound", but that he agrees with Minister Božović that there are those among them who are ready to deliver a verdict.
"But he will agree with me that we do not have a single conviction against a drug cartel," he said, emphasizing that he does not know of any other country where a police drug cartel exists.
He said that everyone had read the messages from Sky - that members of the drug cartel wanted to violently seize power after August 30, 2020, were considering the liquidation of one of the MPs, and were financing the protests.
PES MP, Jelena Nedović, said that the government needs to show strength, and that the emphasis must be placed on judicial and police measures, such as confiscation of property and the use of advanced technologies.
Citing the example of El Salvador, she said that it has been criticized when it comes to human rights, but that she is in favor of that system.
"Given the situation in Montenegro and the political influence that organized crime has had, or still has, over part of the opposition, a balance must be found," said Nedović.
Former President of the Constitutional Court Milorad Gogic He said that he supports the idea of the President of the Assembly:
"What is important for further work on this topic is that the political influence of organized crime is incorporated into domestic legislation," said Gogić.
He reminded that Montenegro does not yet have a definition of a drug cartel, and that it is very complex to come up with one, and that existing criminal offenses in the field of drug abuse will be difficult to directly incorporate into the existing criminal offense of terrorism, but that there is a solution for everything.
"A loophole can be found, because the importance and danger posed by drug abuse on a transnational level deserves special attention and a special review and response from the state, because through it political influence is manifested, which is evident and exists in all countries whether we want to admit it or not," he said.
Security Advisor to the Prime Minister Milojko Spajić, Todor Goranović, said that every member of the Defense and Security Council supported Mandić's initiative.
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