The defendant Vasilije Petrović, charged with the criminal offense of inducing unlawful influence, told the investigation before the Special State Prosecutor's Office (SDT) that on two occasions he gave Nikola Raičević 125.000 euros to take to Miloš and Vesna Medenica, so that they would "finish" the case that "Cijevna komerc" had before the Supreme Court of Montenegro.
His statement was read today at the Higher Court in Podgorica by the president of the special council, Judge Vesna Kovačević.
The trial of former Supreme Court President Vesna Medenica and other defendants began anew today, due to a change in the composition of the panel.
Petrović said in a statement dated April 17, 2022, that "Cijevna komerc" purchased the land and that it was all 1/1.
"I suspect that Vesna Medenica did something criminal to transfer it to another owner. We bought it and got approval for 'Cijevna komerc' and there was nothing irregular. We tried everything through the institutions and we were waiting for the decision of the Constitutional Court on the constitutional appeal..."
In his statement dated May 2022, XNUMX, he said that he came to the SDT to tell what he had kept quiet about in his previous statement. He said that his father had a dispute with "Omorika Commerce" and the state.
He stated that he had heard that his godfathers, the Popovićs, were giving money to Miloš Medenica to complete their cases. He then came into contact with Nikola Raičević, who, he says, conveyed a message to him to send the case files to Vesna Medenica.
"Later, Nikola told me that it could be settled. They asked me for 15 percent of the value of the dispute and interest, and then they increased it to 50 percent interest. I said that I could not accept that. They asked me to give them 125.000 euros, and after 15 days another 125.000 euros. I took all the money to Donja Gorica and gave it to Nikola Raičević. Nikola told me that he gave it to Medenice. I understood that Vesna had been given the money," said Vasilije Petrović.
Later, the court ruled against him, but Miloš said: "Mother knows better."
In the Supreme Court, the case was heard by Judge Rade Kovačević, and then by Vesna Begović.
…“And when the case reaches Vesna Vučković, it will be a complete success, because Vesna Medenica is on good terms with her husband… After the elections on August 30, 2020, I asked Nikola Raičević to return my money because I realized that the case could not be ‘finished’. They told me that the election results would not affect it, because my mother was elected President of the Supreme Court for the third time. In January 2021, I asked Miloš Medenica to return my money. After a few days, Miloš returned 100.000 euros to me,” Vasilije Petrović stated, among other things, in the prosecutor's investigation.
The defendant Miloš Medenica stated that he objects to the part of the testimony that contradicts the allegations of his defense.
Defendant Marko Vučinić pleaded not guilty to any criminal offense.
"I am not a member of any criminal organization. I had no boss."
Miloš Medenica said in his defense that he did not admit guilt. "I stand by the defenses I presented earlier. And that's it."
Defendant Vojin Perunović said he admitted his guilt. He stood by his previous statements.
The judge read his statements in the prosecution investigation and pointed out the differences in the defenses. She stated that, when he first gave his defense before the SDT, he said that Jovan Miković gave him an encrypted phone, and that they communicated by phone and that he drove certain quantities of cigarettes to the warehouse and that he went to the Port of Bar three times. He was paid 500 euros each time.
At his trial in September 2023, he said he did not know there were cigarettes in the vehicle, that no one gave him an encrypted phone, and that he drove the truck to the parking lot in front of the Port, not to the warehouse. He said he was paid three times 200 euros.
Defendant Darko Lalović denied committing the crime and the allegations in the indictment today. He said that it is not true that he did anything to Miloš Medenica that had anything to do with narcotics.
The defendants Marko and Bojan Popović stuck to their previous statements and pleaded guilty. The judge reminded them of their previous statements.
Marko Popović stated that he had legal disputes with the company for which Miloš Medenica, through Nikola Raičević, offered him help in order to conclude the proceedings in his favor. He said that in return, Miloš Medenica demanded financial compensation.
The defendant indicated that Medenica provided assistance by using the influence of his mother, Vesna Medenica. In return, he stated, he gave Miloš Medenica three apartments under construction, which were registered to three different people.
The Special State Prosecutor's Office filed an indictment against the defendants Miloš and Vesna Medenica, Darko Lalović, Vasilij Petrović, Bojan and Marko Popović, Marko Vučinić, Milorad Medenica, Luka Bakoč, Petar Milutinović, Ivana Kovačević, Radomir Raičević, Marjan Bevenja, Stevo Karanikić and Goran Jovanović. and the company "Kopad Company", for criminal acts - creation of a criminal organization, smuggling, giving and receiving bribes, illegal influence and inducing illegal influence, abuse of official position, drug smuggling, illegal possession of weapons, causing serious bodily harm and preventing evidence.
Miloš Medenica is accused of having created a criminal organization in 2019, whose members included his mother Vesna and other defendants, with the aim of smuggling cigarettes and illegally influencing the judiciary, in order to gain illegal profit and power. It is alleged that, in complicity with the defendant members of the criminal organization, he smuggled cigarettes from the Free Customs Zone of the Port of Bar, avoiding customs supervision measures, using false documentation and bribing customs officials.
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