Marketing, intolerance and threats to critics: Politicians increasingly file complaints against each other

Montenegrin politicians are reporting each other to the police for their words, using it as a media weapon that clogs the public space, unnecessarily burdens the courts, and diverts attention from real problems such as corruption, party recruitment, or high prices. This further confirms the crisis of political dialogue and creates the impression that the judiciary and police serve as an extended arm of political showdowns.

This was assessed by the interlocutors of "Vijesti", commenting on the increasingly frequent cases in which politicians report each other to the authorities due to verbal conflicts.

The last such case occurred a few days ago when the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament and a Democratic Party official Zdenka Popović reported a Social Democratic (SD) MP to the police Nikola Zirojević because, as she stated, of the insults he made in a statement published in the media, in which he accused her of nepotism and abuse.

Zirojević gave a statement to the Police Directorate (UP) three days ago due to the report.

"While Popović trumpets women's rights, he is simultaneously placing the burden of his own abuses on a young contractor whose name and surname have never been publicly announced, and who has absolutely nothing to do with the case and we all know that," the SD MP said, and Popović cited this as the reason for contacting the police.

Regarding media reports that Popović, as the deputy speaker of parliament, spent 2024 euros on fuel in ten months of 3.200, the highest legislative chamber said at the beginning of the year that an internal audit conducted at Popović's request determined that the official did not consume the fuel, but rather a person who worked in the parliament under a contract for services.

Policy implementation

Program associate at the Center for Civic Education (CGO) Nikola Đurašević He told "Vijesti" that the public space here is significantly contaminated and radicalized, adding that when it comes to developing a culture of dialogue and democratic political culture, things are rapidly going backwards.

"The Assembly, which should be an example of reasoned debates and tolerant conflict of opinions, is becoming a stage for pre-written and empty speeches, as well as insults and personal disqualifications, both towards those in the hall and towards many who cannot respond. This undermines citizens' trust in institutions, so it is not surprising that the Assembly is at the bottom of the trust scale," he said.

Đurašević states that what is new is that this is starting to spill over, through the filing of misdemeanor and criminal charges due to "rhetorical conflicts".

"This partly creates the impression that politicians are using the already quite burdened judiciary and police as an extension of their political calculations, but also that they are paying tribute to their own contribution in narrowing the space for reasoned and decent debate," he said.

Communicator and teaching associate at the Humanities Studies Department of the University of Donja Gorica Filip P. Jovanovski He said that the general atmosphere of communication among Montenegrin politicians is not new - that bickering, threats and insults occur, while mutual criminal charges have become particularly fashionable recently.

"Such reports are most often filed only for the purpose of acquiring media weapons, which clogs the public space, unnecessarily burdens the judicial authorities and diverts attention from real life issues such as corruption, party recruitment or the prices of food and real estate. This is one of the symptoms of the crisis of political dialogue and political culture in Montenegro. The lack of concrete ideas, solutions and visions is filled with disputes that demonstrate the inability for constructive, dignified debate," he told "Vijesti".

Jovanovski stated that all of this is a reflection of the broader trend of "realization" of politics, i.e. its transformation into an arena for constant sensationalist public arguments.

"So, this is not about debates on issues of importance to the lives of citizens, but about attracting attention through conflicts that are more appropriate for reality shows than for people who should be running the country," he notes.

The interviewee pointed out that this is, unfortunately, a trend that has affected a large part of the democratic world, which, he added, is best illustrated by the "tragicomic fact" - that the American president Donald tramp In 2016, he entered the White House practically straight from the chair of a reality show host, using "the same marketing tricks of the most down-to-earth type."

"When we talk about the judicial formalization of these disputes between politicians, it would be responsible to remember the following fact - the situation in Montenegrin courts is otherwise alarming, due to the insufficient number of judges, overloaded with cases that arrive daily. The question arises - is it rational to additionally burden the already overwhelmed judicial system, which is on the verge of functionality, with political upheavals," asks Jovanovski.

Nikola Đurašević also claims that the consequence of increasingly frequent reporting is the further delegitimization of institutions and the meaninglessness of their role.

"Citizens get the impression that the police, courts and prosecutors are not solving their problems, but rather party conflicts. In the long run, this model reinforces politics based on weakness and rudeness, rather than dialogue and public interest. When everything becomes a complaint, then nothing is serious enough, while citizens remain disappointed, and the political scene looks less and less like a democratic space and more and more like a training ground for personal showdowns," he underlined.

A program associate at CCE states that the purpose of such behavior is "essentially nil", but that those who resort to this mechanism believe that they are sending a message to voters that politicians are fighting for their dignity and rights.

"It is clear that in most cases this is political marketing and an attempt to strengthen a position in a political conflict through legal mechanisms. However, this also reveals additional problems - political actors in Montenegro generally show a low threshold of tolerance for criticism, and by doing so they indirectly send a message to critics outside the circle of party opponents that they should not be touched. This is also supported by the increasingly pronounced targeting of those who express critical views from civil society," Đurašević assessed.

The interlocutor added that in this way, not only the quality of political life suffers, but also social cohesion as a whole.

"Instead of encouraging the exchange of opinions and critical examination of their own decisions, politicians resort to defensiveness and attempt to criminalize public criticism," he said.

Most cases in the investigation phase

Speaking to the media after giving his statement, Zirojević said that last year he also filed criminal charges against officials of the Europe Now Movement (PES) and the president of the Board of Directors of Air Montenegro. Tihomir Dragaš because of the words he said to him on the social network X.

"Montenegro is small, so we'll meet, so you can explain to me who you thought was a poodle. I'll have to teach you some humanity and heroism," Dragaš told the SD MP, who cited this as the reason for his report.

Zirojević told "Vijesti" that he contacted the institutions at the end of May, and that, after several insistences, he was confirmed that a case had been filed. He pointed out that he was called to the police three months later to give a statement about Dragaš, while in the case of Popović, the call came about four hours after the announcement (about the report) was made.

Regarding Zirojević's complaint against Dragaš, the Basic State Prosecutor's Office (ODT) in Podgorica responded to "Vijesti" yesterday that the investigation procedure in that case is underway.

In mid-July, Popović also filed a complaint against the MP and leader of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS). Danijela Živković, claiming that, after the end of the parliamentary session, he threatened her in the plenary hall that he would "have a huge problem" because she did not allow him to comment on the speech of a member of parliament.

Živković gave a statement to the police on the same day in his capacity as a citizen, rejecting Popović's claims. According to information from "Vijesti", he told the police that after the MP addressed the session Seid Hadzic, who, he claims, mentioned him several times in his address, asked Popović to speak, but that after Hadžić finished speaking, she stated that the session was over. Živković stated that he addressed her with the words: “Zdenka, you will have a big problem with me in the future, when you chair sessions, because, in accordance with the procedure, I will always ask you for replies and presentations, all in accordance with the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament of Montenegro.”

On August 13, the Podgorica prosecutor's office told "Vijesti" that it was investigating the report.

In early August, the head of state Jakov Milatovic reported one of the Deputy Prime Ministers and Minister of Economic Development Nika Đeljošaj because of threats. Milatović's cabinet announced at the time that Đeljošaj threatened Milatović with messages after the President of Montenegro returned the amendment to the Real Estate Tax Law to the Parliament for reconsideration.

In his messages, Đeljošaj wrote to Milatović, among other things, that he should not have returned the law and that he should expect a reaction from Albanians at all levels and wherever they have influence, and told him that he would receive the response "he deserves."

Đeljošaj rejected accusations that he made threats, saying that Milatović returned the controversial law because of, as he claims, nepotistic ties with Nebojš Vuksanović, former president of the Board of Directors of Plantaže, "in order to obtain personal benefit for himself and him."

"Vijesti" was told by the Podgorica State Prosecutor's Office last week that an investigation into the case is underway.

"After carrying out the necessary actions, a decision will be made as soon as possible," the ODT said.

In April, he became a DPS parliamentarian. Oscar Hutter reported the head of the Europe Now (PES) parliamentary group Vasilija Čarapić, claiming that he violated the Law on Public Order and Peace. The PES MP commented on the exit of the DPS councilor from the Assembly of the Royal Capital on the X network.

"You create a drug clan and recruit young unemployed people from economically deprived Cetinje, you divide the clan and provoke clashes in Cetinje and throughout Montenegro, and then you leave the local parliament because of the threatened security and blame others for it. Hypocritical and malicious," Čarapić wrote.

The editorial office was told yesterday by the UP that officers from the Podgorica Security Department acted on Huter's report and collected information from Čarapić for the record, which was then reported to the state prosecutor at the ODT in Podgorica.

"After reviewing the facts, the prosecutor stated that there were no elements of a criminal offense in this incident. Police officers then informed Hutter that there were no elements of a misdemeanor in the incident, and that, in accordance with the law, he could file a request with the Misdemeanor Court to initiate misdemeanor proceedings against Čarapić," Vijesti was told.

DPS MP and former mayor of Podgorica Ivan Vukovic announced in April that he would file criminal charges for false reporting against Democratic lawmakers Momcilo LekovićHe announced that he would do this because Leković informed the Chief Special Prosecutor that Vladimir Novović submitted a notification of the existence of grounds for suspicion that Vuković, as the former first man of the Capital City, but also the former mayor of Cetinje Aleksandar Kascelan, former director of the company “Putevi” doo Podgorica Radenko Bulatović and former secretary of the Secretariat for Transport of the Capital City of Podgorica Lazarela Kalezić committed criminal offenses that are prosecuted ex officio.

"The UP told Vijesti yesterday that in this case, on August 22, "information was collected from Leković for the record, which was then submitted to the acting state prosecutor for jurisdiction."

Jovanovski: Politicians should take the importance of their communication more seriously

Jovanovski told "Vijesti" that Montenegrins are probably one of the most conflicted peoples in Europe, both mentally and historically, but that democratic representatives of citizens have a duty to rise above their "aggressive impulses."

"And for their own sake - when two rams clash on a log, both fall into the abyss," he said.

Jovanovski emphasized that party actors should take the importance of their political communication more seriously, adding that it is not a mere marketing tool and an entertaining media toy, but something that deeply shapes the culture and cohesion of a society.

"Let's not forget, Montenegro is Yugoslavia in miniature, more than any other state of the former SFRY - especially considering that it is not divided into cantons or entities, but all its segments are interconnected and intertwined. Therefore, internal stability and a culture of mutual dialogue are the conditions for its survival. Either we will learn to talk to each other, or we will not exist at all," the interlocutor said.