Otašević: Mašković slanders, he will have to prove his claims before the competent authorities

The executive director of Radio Television Podgorica, Vladimir Otašević, accused the member of the European Union in the Assembly of the Capital City, Miloš Mašković, of slander and told him that he "will have to prove the allegations in the appropriate procedure before the competent authorities".

Mašković said earlier today that the management of Gradska RTV "obviously believes that it should work as a secret service, not as a public service", and that it "decided to hide the way in which it spends the money of the citizens of Podgorica".

"Radio Television Podgorica is the most transparent local public broadcaster in Montenegro. That fact cannot be changed by any post on social networks by any representative of political subjects, not even by councilor Miloš Mašković. As a responsible person in the broadcaster, I instructed Mr. Mašković to provide the information that he requested under the Law on Free Access to Information, since the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly of the Capital City, which he referred to, is a by-law to which we are not subject that by-law applies," Otašević said.

He adds that due to the fact that Mašković performs the political function of an alderman in the Assembly of the Capital City, "his failure to invoke the basics of the legal system in relation to the above is shocking".

"Commissioner Mašković asked for documentation that is extremely extensive, and precisely because of such things there is a Law on Free Access to Information and there are deadlines prescribed by that law, which is a deadline of 15 days. That deadline can be extended by an additional eight days if requested more extensive information. Mašković makes accusations against RTV Podgorica and targets the management of the media and highlights the false image that something is being covered up and that there are abuses. This is defamation and can be interpreted as a criminal offense of false accusations from Article 388 of the Criminal Code of Montenegro. That is why councilor Mašković will have to prove all the accusations he made against RTV Podgorica in the appropriate procedure before the competent authorities, and if it turns out that he made accusations tendentially and for the sake of gaining cheap political points are not based on evidence and truth will have to face legal consequences". concluded Otašević.