Pista will be heard as a protected witness, Rakočević and Milošević revoked their powers of attorney for their defense attorneys

The trial for the murder of Miodrag Kruščić and the wounding of journalist Olivera Lakić was postponed today at the Higher Court in Podgorica to February 12th.

The Special Chamber of Judge Radovan Vlaović adopted the proposal of the Special State Prosecutor's Office (SDT) to hear protected witness Bajram Pista under special protection measures.

The court ruled that he would be heard with a firewall, voice change, and identity protection in a separate room.

The court rejected the SDT's proposal to exclude the public from the main trial while Bajram Pista testifies.

The judge said that the defense attorneys and defendants who were dissatisfied with this decision have the right to appeal this first-instance decision.

The accused Goran Rakočević and Mario Milošević have revoked the powers of attorney of their defense attorneys.

They pointed out that it is known that Pista lives in Orahovac, Kosovo. They said there was no need for the court to hide him, that nothing would happen to him.

Defendant Goran Rakočević said that this was not the real identity of Bajram Piste, but that he was Viktor Kraft.

"How can a sick man be a witness when he was found with 20 grams of heroin," asked the accused Veselin Bubanja.

Defendant Goran Vukčević said that the SDT could bring another witness instead of Bajram Pista, because the defendants would not have the opportunity to see him in the courtroom.

Lawyer Marko Radović proposed to the court that the Ministry of Internal Affairs be asked to provide information on whether Bajram Pista was banned from entering the 28 Schengen zone countries, and why, and that this information be verified.