Former head of the Anti-Corruption Agency, Jelena Perović, came to the institution this morning, claiming to be its director.
According to unofficial information from "Vijesti", Perović refuses to leave the building and is threatening to call the police. She is at the Agency accompanied by her lawyer, Nikola Martinović.
Perović pointed out that she is the director of that institution and added that she cannot understand why anyone would even ask a question after the Administrative Court's decision.
She said that she would respect the decision of each institution, but that she is the director of the Agency by the letter of the law until a new decision is made.
Perović added that the narrative in the media that the verdicts issued on Friday were rushed is not true, and noted that the case against her for tax and contribution evasion dates back to 2021.
The police also arrived at the scene and spoke with the Agency employees.
Last week, the Administrative Court annulled the decision of the Agency Council to dismiss the former director and ordered that body to make a new, lawful decision.
video: B. Pejović
"The defendant authority will, in the retrial, taking into account the reasons from this judgment, in accordance with the Administrative Dispute Act, make a new, lawful decision," the judgment states, according to information from "Vijesti".
That court, however, did not decide on the merits, and nowhere in the verdict did it order Perović's reinstatement to the position of director of the Agency.
According to the Administrative Dispute Act, when a court annuls an act or other administrative activity against which a dispute was initiated, the case is returned to the state it was in before the annulled act was adopted.
"If, according to the nature of the administrative matter that was the subject of the dispute, another act should be adopted or another administrative activity undertaken instead of the annulled act or other administrative activity, the defendant public authority is obliged to adopt that act or undertake the other administrative activity without delay, and no later than 30 days from the date of delivery of the judgment. The defendant public authority is bound by the legal understanding of the Administrative Court, as well as by that court's observations regarding the procedure," the Law states.
According to unofficial information from "Vijesti", a session of the ASK Council is scheduled for Friday with one item on the agenda - familiarization with the Administrative Court's verdict and defining steps for acting on it.
video: B. Pejović
"Vijesti" sources also stated that the deadline for scheduling an urgent session is 48 hours before that session.
The media is in front of the Agency, but they are not allowed to enter.
The President of the Agency's Representative Union, Nevena Stevanović, called on the Agency Council to come and vote in order to resolve the situation.
"The return of Jelena Perović was being prepared, and one of the people who welcomed her this morning was the brother of one of the Council members. I hope this will be resolved, because Perović is the person who forced me and 10 other women to establish this union because of the torture we went through during her mandate," said Stevanović.
Drakić: Perović threatened employees: "You'll see in two months, none of you will be at work"
Acting Director of ASK Drakić said that he was witnessing unpleasant scenes, and that the person who discriminated against the entire Agency would return to it.
He called on the Council of that institution to do its job, that they are the only address and to "say whether they want Perović at the head of that institution."
"This is all part of the plan that the lady is implementing, and the goal is to stifle and close the Agency," said Drakić.
He emphasized that under his leadership, the Agency worked transparently and openly.
"...Now ask her why she protected certain officials," said Drakić.
Perović's defense attorney, Nikola Martinović, asked him whether Jelena Perović could perform her job, to which Drakić replied that that was a question for the Council, not a question for him.
"The Council has been informed about this. I expected the Council to sit down this morning to discuss this," said Drakić, noting that the Administrative Court's decision did not address the merits, and that it did not require Perović to return to work.
"Jelena Perović is a proven criminal against whom so many proceedings are being conducted. I am talking about justice and how much she abused resources. This cannot go anywhere without Montenegro," said Drakić.
Martinović: I didn't make a statement because I expected Drakić to respect the Administrative Court's decision
Perović's defense attorney, Martinović, said that he did not make a statement on Friday because he expected Drakić to comply with the administrative court's decision.
"This decision simply states that the dismissal of Jelena Perović is not in effect and that things are returning to the way they were before her dismissal, and she was a full-time director before her dismissal. We came this morning to see what the Agency is doing regarding the implementation of this decision."
Martinović recalled the case of Judge Vujanović, who was in the same situation as Perović.
"Drakić told me that he would not let Perović perform his duties, and I asked him to give it to me in writing, after which he realized that preventing the performance of duties is a criminal offense. Mr. Drakić is taking on the role of prosecutor and court, that man cannot have the integrity to lead the Agency. If he does not respect the final decision of the court, the question arises as to what is left of the institutions in this country," said Martinović.
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