The Basic State Prosecutor's Office in Podgorica submitted an indictment to the Basic Court in Podgorica against Andrija Laković from Podgorica due to reasonable suspicion that he committed the criminal offense of endangering the safety of a journalist Jelena Jovanović.
The defendant, the statement says, is charged with sending threats to a journalist from "Vijesti" via SMS message in Podgorica on September 13, 2025, thereby endangering her safety.
"Given the nature and content of the threats, as well as the circumstances of the specific case, the Basic State Prosecutor's Office, in addition to the indictment, also proposed an extension of the defendant's detention," the text states.
"Vijesti" was recently informed that police officers found solid evidence that the phone used to threaten Jelena Jovanović was in the possession of the now-indicted person of interest to security.
According to the same information, during that investigation, investigators compared phone numbers from various records or communications to determine who was behind the call or message.
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It was not announced at the time whether they had determined the motive for sending threatening messages last year.
On September 13th of last year, the journalist reported to the police a threat she received in a phone message from a number in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The message said to consider "who is safer", with the statement that her security was paid for by the state, while the sender "paid for his own".
"You fat guy, the state pays for your security, and I pay for mine. So think about who is safer, me or you, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed, and I see you will. So in any of your next shows, or in your spying, mention the company ***** once again and next time you'll be the one to lose, not my company. So whatever it costs," the message Jovanović received reads.
After receiving the threats, the journalist then stated that she did not believe it came from the construction company from Podgorica that was mentioned in the message.
"It is unlikely that someone would threaten and sign this transparently, that is what I told the police and the prosecutor. The fact that I did not mention the company on the show, which the person who sent the message says is his, supports my thesis - someone wanted the focus of the investigation to be on the ownership structure of that company and the people connected to them, so that he could peacefully carry out what he was threatening," Jovanović told "Vijesti".
She added that she was very satisfied with the way everyone involved in the investigation dealt with this threat.
"The prosecutor's office, secret police and public police, starting with the police officers in Danilovgrad, where I reported the threats, and ending with their colleagues from Bosnia and Herzegovina, really reacted promptly. It was discovered where in Trebinje the cards were purchased, when they were activated, at which base station, who was calling from them... I hope that the only information I received is not correct - that the Podgorica court rejected certain requests from the prosecutor's office, which, in my opinion and in the opinion of my sources, could have narrowed down the circle of suspects and ultimately led the prosecutor and the police to the person who sent the message," said Jovanović.
Jovanović has been the target of threats for years due to her investigative work on organized crime, corruption and controversial businesses in Montenegro. Due to the assessment by security services that her life is in danger, she has had constant police protection for about five years.
"Given the nature and content of the threats, as well as the circumstances of the specific case, the Basic State Prosecutor's Office, in addition to the indictment, also proposed an extension of the defendant's detention," the ODT statement said.
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