Zirojević: Threats to Police Director Petar Komnenić are unacceptable

European Union MP Nikola Zirojević announced that the threats made by the Director of the Police Administration Lazar Šćepanović to Petar Komnenić, the author of the show "Načisto", which is broadcast on Television Vijesti, are "unacceptable".

"Last night's show 'Načisto' by editor Petar Komnenić was specific in many ways, but one thing obliges each of us to a very clear and direct reaction. Therefore, in this statement, I will not deal with the fact that the director of the Police Administration is in conflict with the Minister of Justice, the president of the High Court in Podgorica, judges, prosecutors, MPs, and often with himself. I will leave that for another opportunity that will, I hope, be presented in the Parliament in the next ten days. What requires a reaction today, and what, in my opinion, had to wake us up in the media this morning, is the fact that the director of the Police Administration threatened a journalist, the editor of the show, on a live broadcast, that he would 'prosecute' him," Zirojević announced.

He adds that the reason is clear - "Petar Komnenić asked a question that the police director did not like."

"It is interesting how it occurred to Director Šćepanović in a split second to threaten the journalist with prosecution and how he did not question with himself what the legal basis for it would be, but he nevertheless told us last night that the police have absolutely no authority over persons who violate the measure prohibiting them from leaving their homes, even if they are caught red-handed. This interpretation of the application of the legal norm in practice is so unusual and innovative that someone ambitious enough on this topic, with this approach, could write a doctoral thesis. When I say someone, I mean someone from the Democrats who manage the security sector and yes, I mean Megatrend University. I think we all know why there."

Zirojević points out that this behavior of the police director is "particularly problematic because it is completely identical to the very dangerous targeting of the media that comes from the political entity that manages the security sector, and which is recognized for targeting opposition-oriented media."

"I would like to remind you that, after just one speech by the president of the Democratic Party of Representatives in the Parliament, a journalist from Television E received a bullet threat. Unfortunately, the police director very quickly adopted the manner of behavior and communication of the political entity that brought him to that position. However, only he can suffer the damage because of this. I hereby call on the police director Lazar Šćepanović to issue a public apology to the journalist Petar Komnenić and to be the first among all of us to create an environment in which the security sector will protect journalists, instead of scaring and attacking them. Because after all, in Montenegro, where a two-ton tin statue has been successfully hiding from the prosecution for months, and a final and binding sentence of 10 years in prison openly mocks the police director and the minister of the interior, Petar Komnenić cannot possibly be a problem and a subject of interest for the man who heads the Police Directorate," Zirojević announced.