The Judicial Council strongly condemns the repeated and inappropriate attacks by the Vice President of the Government of Montenegro and the Minister of Economic Development, Nik Đeljošaj, on judge Ivana Becić, the Judicial Council announced.
Đeljošaj again accused the prosecutor Ivana Petrušić, Becić and television journalist Danilo Ajković of settling accounts with him and of being corrupt.
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"Unfortunately, this is the second time that Nik Đeljošaj, as a politician, threatens the independence of the judiciary with unsubstantiated claims and thus shows that he does not respect the obligation that exists on the part of all state bodies, including the executive power, parliament and all judges, to improve and protect judicial independence. If the Deputy Prime Minister has evidence that Judge Becić committed a criminal offense with elements of corruption, we publicly invite him to hand over that evidence to the competent prosecution, which will verify that evidence, all with the aim of getting the case in question to have an epilogue within the institutions of the system. and not on social networks," the statement of the Judicial Council published on the institution's website points out.
The Judicial Council said that Đeljošaj publicly accused Judge Becić of what he called "torture" against him and his family, and that she had allegedly already received a written verdict from her employer, with whom, along with the state prosecutor and a journalist, she was associated in blind hatred and dealing with him as a politician.
"This kind of public appearance by the Minister of Economic Development is the reason for the Judicial Council to react in order to protect the independence and independence of the judicial branch of government, but also the dignity of the judiciary as a whole. According to the view of the Judicial Council, a clear line must be drawn between freedom of expression and justified criticism on the one hand and disrespect and undue pressure on the judiciary from the other side. The Judicial Council strongly condemns these repeated and inappropriate qualifications of a high government official, from which it is evident that Minister Đeljošaj has no understanding of the role of the independent judiciary in relation to the procedural role in which he found himself," the statement reads.
The Judicial Council considers that unbalanced critical comments by politicians are irresponsible and cause serious problems, as public trust and confidence in the judiciary can be inadvertently or deliberately undermined.
"In such cases, the judiciary must point out that such behavior is an attack on the constitutional order of a democratic country, as well as an attack on the legitimacy of another branch of government, and in addition, such behavior also violates international standards. Unfortunately, this is the second time that the minister threatens the independence of the judiciary with no substantiated claims and thereby shows that he does not respect the obligation that exists on the part of all state bodies, including the executive power, parliament and all judges, to improve and protect judicial independence," they said.
Therefore, the Judicial Council, proceeding from the constitutional competence to protect the independence and independence of the courts and judges, once again appeals and invites all social actors to take into account the special role of the judiciary and to refrain from base attacks on the holders of judicial functions that in the democratic society in which it exists the rule of law, they must enjoy public trust in order to successfully carry out their duties, and at the same time it reminds the fact that criticized judges have an obligation of discretion that prevents them from responding to attacks.
"If the Deputy Prime Minister has evidence that Judge Becić committed a criminal offense with elements of corruption, we publicly call on him to hand over that evidence to the competent prosecution, which will verify that evidence, all with the aim of getting the case in question to have an epilogue within the institutions of the system, and not on social networks," concludes the statement of the Judicial Council.
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