For two decades, Montenegro has not been able, or rather will not, to solve the most difficult case against its journalists - the murder of editor-in-chief Dan Duško Jovanović.
Only Damir Mandić was convicted of the murder, who was sentenced to 19 years in prison as an accomplice and will soon serve his sentence. The re-opening of the investigation last year did not bring any progress either.
"11 witnesses were questioned, including judges, prosecutors and police officers, some of whom were previously questioned, while a number of witnesses could not be questioned because they had died in the meantime. Measures and actions taken so far did not produce results that would be important for determining the identity of the other co-perpetrators of this criminal act, so other activities will be undertaken in the coming period," says the head of the Higher State Prosecutor's Office in Podgorica, Lepa Medenica.
For the president of the Commission for Monitoring Investigations of Attacks on Journalists, Mihail Jovović, this is disappointing, but he does not lose hope that the case will finally be shed light on.
"I hope he can, but I'm not sure he can. First of all, there are many crimes, especially against journalists, that have never been solved, not only this one in Montenegro but also in other countries. But it is the duty of the prosecution and all other competent state authorities to do everything I can," said Jovovic.
Since the investigation has been stalled for years, the Commission proposed a few days ago to the Government to offer a reward of one million euros or a pardon for useful information that could lead to the discovery of the murder.
"That maybe it's the only way that someone who knows the details about it or someone who even participated in it in some way, maybe decides that, at least on the basis of that award, to come out and tell what they know and that the investigation starts from there in some realistic direction," adds Jovović.
He says that there was one such person, but the authorities told them that there were legal obstacles for her to testify. The commission also suggested that some other people who might know something about the murder or how the investigation was conducted be polygraph tested.
"Well, if they refuse, then it means something, although it is not proof, that they are involved or not or that they are responsible for the poor conduct of the investigation. But we need to move on from there," said Jovović.
Duško Jovanović was killed shortly before midnight, on May 27, 2004, in front of the Dana newsroom. The mail is given to him every year, at that time, at that place.
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