DPS: Police Directorate is trying to distort the picture of the months-long attacks on Perović

The Police Directorate's reaction represents an attempt to present a distorted picture to the public about the months-long attacks on Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) councilor Rajko Perović, the party's councilor club in Nikšić assessed.

"Out of a total of eight attacks and threats to which Rajko Perović has been exposed by various individuals in the recent period, he reported three cases, of which there are records. The Police Directorate states in its response that it acted in two cases, but fails to tell the public that these individuals attacked Perović twice," the statement reads.

How effective such measures were, they said, is best shown by the events that followed.

"After they were brought in for questioning, these individuals became even more emboldened, and they came to Rajko Perović's family home, harassed his family, and then attacked him at his workplace, not in front of a building, as they say, but in front of his family business. It was from that very place, from the family business, that the video surveillance that documents this event was also taken."

They said that Perović's brother and family were threatened this morning.

"Whether the perpetrators are afraid of institutions is best confirmed by this morning's case, when a relative of one of the persons who attacked Rajko Perović made threats to his brother and family over the phone. That case was also duly reported to the competent authorities. Whether they are afraid of the police was also evident yesterday during the attack, when the perpetrators, in the presence of four police officers, made the most serious threats and insults to the Perović family. Why didn't the creators of the statement mention this?" the councilors' club ask.

They said that Rajko Perović was not attacked by chance, but because, as an opposition councilor, he "refuses to remain silent and persistently exposes what individuals want to hide." It is precisely because of such actions, they added, that he has been exposed to pressure, threats and attacks for months.

"Instead of trying to convince the public that everything was done according to the law, we expect an answer to one simple question, how is it possible that threats and attacks continue despite the actions of the police? Eight attacks on one councilor are not statistics, but a serious problem."

They reiterated that they expect the Police Directorate to immediately assess Rajko Perović's security and take all legally prescribed measures to protect him and his family, "whose security is clearly at risk."

"Instead of writing statements and trying to justify their actions, it is time for them to do what is legally required of them, to prevent new threats and attacks, so that we do not have to protect ourselves and our colleague," the statement reads.