Ivanovic released, trial postponed to January 15th

Former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Petar Ivanović has been released after being brought before a judge at the Misdemeanor Court in Podgorica earlier today.

Ivanovic was arrested for yesterday's incident during which he blocked the path of vehicles escorting Prime Minister Milojko Spajic and insulted the police officers escorting the Prime Minister.

After the questioning of Ivanovic and police officers, the hearing was postponed today to January 15th at 5:30 p.m., when another witness, an eyewitness to the event, will be questioned.

Misdemeanor Court Judge Ana Bokan told "Vijesti" that yesterday at around 3:15 p.m., Ivanovic, while driving his vehicle, prevented the safe passage of escorted vehicles and crashed into their column, ignoring the sound and light signals.

"After which he was stopped by the police officers, and when the police officer MR got out of the vehicle and approached the vehicle in which the defendant PI was, he addressed him with the words: 'F*** you mother police officer, I don't want to get rid of you, now I'm going to take your picture', after which, given that he knew who the person was, the police officer returned to the official vehicle. After that, they continued moving, and when they turned into Njegoševa Street and noticed that the defendant PI moved behind them and when he reached their vehicle, the MR police officer got out of the vehicle, approached the defendant PI's vehicle and asked to see the documents, which the defendant PI refused, saying: 'F*** one, I will give you the documents when you return the official vehicle you stole from me', after which he left the scene at high speed," said Bokan.

The Police Directorate (PD) announced earlier today that a former senior official of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) will be held criminally liable for insulting and belittling police officers.

"Vijesti" reported last night that the incident occurred on Blažov Most in Podgorica when the former minister first "cut through" the convoy of vehicles escorting Spajić in a Toyota, and then followed him, insulting him, all the way to the Government building.

He and several former government officials are accused of distributing money and causing damage to Montenegro of over 300.000 euros from April 2014 to July 2019, contrary to the Regulation on the Implementation of Agrarian Policy Measures...

They are charged with suspicious payments to only one non-governmental organization - the National Association of Winegrowers and Winemakers, and the amounts of money given to that civil society over a five-year period varied from 450 euros to 70.000 euros.

The Special State Prosecutor's Office (SDT) claims that Ivanovic facilitated the most illegal payments during 2014, 2015, and 2016.