The National Security Agency (ANB) checks all information it receives from operatives from three independent sources. This rule applied to everyone, including Petar Lazović, said former ANB director Dejan Peruničić.
He testified today in the continuation of the trial of former Chief Special Prosecutor Milivoj Katnić, former police official Zoran Lazović, and Special Prosecutor Saša Čađenović.
Before the special panel presided over by Judge Veljko Radovanović, Peruničić stated, among other things, that his professional cooperation with Zoran Lazović was exceptional.
"My professional cooperation with Zoran Lazović was exceptional. I would still entrust my children and family to Zoran Lazović's care today," Peruničić emphasized.
He added that he was the director of the ANB from August 2015 to November 2020. He explained how Petar Lazović moved from the ANB to the Police Directorate.
"Petar Lazović was not the only one who transferred. There were such requests both before and after his transfer. The request came from the Police Directorate and was in writing," he said.
He explained that all information received by the operatives had to be verified from three independent sources.
"That rule applied to everyone, including Petar Lazović. Information checks were carried out hierarchically. Petar Lazović was able to gain knowledge that other officials could not. We came to that conclusion by checking the information he obtained," said Peruničić.
Responding to questions from lawyer Nikola Martinović, defense attorney for Zoran Lazović, the former director of the ANB said that he had never received information from partner or domestic services that Petar Lazović was working against the interests of the ANB or Montenegro.
"I have never received information from partner or domestic services that Petar Lazović is working against the interests of the ANB or Montenegro," Peruničić said.
He added that he never discussed Petar Lazović's transfer to the Police Directorate with Zoran Lazović.
"While I was director, the ANB had no knowledge that Veljko Belivuk and Marko Miljković had committed a crime in Montenegro and that they posed a threat to the national security of the state. I had no information that Zoran Lazović was in any way protecting any organized crime group, not even the Kavač clan," Peruničić pointed out.
Zoran Lazović's defense attorney, attorney Zoran Piperović, said that he noticed that Peruničić's statement had no connection with what their client is being charged with.
"The Director of the National Security Agency and former Police Director Veselin Damjanović said the same thing about entrusting their children to Zoran Lazović," Piperović recalled their testimonies.
Martinović said that Peruničić was the most informed person in the country and had the most reliable sources at his disposal.
"He clearly indicated that Petar Lazović was an operative whose job was to obtain information - data on organized crime groups, and he did so successfully," Martinović said.
The trial is scheduled to continue on February 3, 4, 10 and 12. Police Administration officials Vesko Damjanović, Milovan Pavicevic and Milorad Žižić are scheduled to be questioned.
Bonus video:
