Todorović: Vučelić should not lament over allegedly denied freedom of speech, but accept responsibility for defamation

Jovana Todorović, spokesperson for the Democratic People's Party (DNP), told MP Maja Vučelić not to change the arguments of the Basic Court of Berane and lament the allegedly denied freedom of speech, but to accept responsibility for the defamation she uttered.

Last week, the Basic Court in Podgorica issued a first-instance verdict ordering MP Maja Vučelić to pay 2.000 euros to the leader of the Democratic People's Party (DNP) Milan Knežević for defamation of honor and reputation - to which Vučelić announced an appeal, saying that the decision was a consequence of the court not liking her political stance, and that it opens the door to censorship, pressure and silencing.

Todorović commented on Vučelić's statement, saying that the verdict has nothing to do with freedom of speech.

"MP Maja Vučelić is obliged to pay 2000 euros to Milan Knežević not because she criticized Aleksandar Vučić or because she supports the blockade movement. Nor because she accused him of the breakup of Yugoslavia and the civil wars of the 90s. But because she falsely claimed that the DNP is financed by dirty and criminal money from abroad, and that Milan Knežević is an associate of foreign intelligence services. This has nothing to do with freedom of speech, but with brutal slander and lies for which Milan Knežević will sue everyone," the DNP spokesperson said in a statement.

Todorović said that one thing is political qualifications, and the other is false accusations that have no basis in reality, which, as she pointed out, the court also established.

"That is why all attempts to relativize this verdict are just a continuation of the same irresponsible practice: to speak, then avoid responsibility. Public speech carries weight, and every lie spoken has a price. In this case, that price has already been determined and represents a clear lesson that the truth cannot be overridden, and everything else ends where it ended in this case: before the court and with a clear epilogue," Todorović concluded.