Jovanović and Tomović are defending themselves with deceptions

Another trial against former BIRN researcher and Vijesti journalist Jelena Jovanović and former editor of BIRN’s Balkan Insight platform Dušica Tomović concluded yesterday at the Basic Court in Podgorica, in proceedings that were initiated by civil activist Draško Didi Martinović for violation of personal rights to honor, reputation, psychological integrity, and dignity. He is one of nine civil activists, including two journalists, whom the two defendants labeled as dangerous extremists.

The alleged research titled „Mapping Far-Right and Extremist Groups in the Balkans“ was published in November 2022 in Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina). At the time, BIRN Bosnia and Herzegovina Director Denis Džidić stated, as reported by Portal Hayat, that the right-wing organizations included on the map and their connections with politicians represent „the greatest threat in Europe and the world“.

The verdict will be delivered within 30 days.

So far, a first-instance ruling has been issued only in the case of journalist Tanja Pavićević, in April last year. In explaining the ruling, Judge Milica Radović stated that Jovanović and Tomović acted negligently by presenting unverified information about her that implied extremist activity in the religious sphere, thereby violating her dignity.

- Such actions constitute an objectively offensive and derogatory qualification with respect to the plaintiff and represent grounds for awarding compensation for non-material damage due to emotional distress suffered as a result of harm to reputation - the explanation states, among other things.

Last week, another dispute before the Basic Court in Podgorica was concluded, based on a lawsuit filed by civil activist and director of the NGO „Luča“ Nebojša Mrvaljević. In that case as well, the verdict will be delivered within 30 days.

BIRN withdrew the disgraceful map long ago but never apologized to the people who were brutally targeted. Tomović, shortly after the scandal involving the propagandistic piece she supported, was no longer editor of BIRN’s Balkan Insight platform.

The extent to which appearing on BIRN’s map endangered personal safety, integrity, and reputation was confirmed by Džidić himself, who said during the project presentation that „these groups represent serious security threats linked to the war in the former Yugoslavia, glorifying war criminals convicted before The Hague Tribunal… It is important to focus on legal and strategic issues and to see in the action plan what activities the authorities and police agencies will undertake in mapping such groups“.

As previously reported, Tomović and Jovanović persist in their claims that the individuals they dangerously targeted are extremists, and they had earlier threatened to expand the list.

However, in the court proceedings initiated in Podgorica, they base their defense on the claim that the dangerous and unscrupulous targeting of nine individuals constitutes a value judgment, attempting in that way to avoid responsibility.

As in the proceedings following Mrvaljević’s lawsuit, in Martinović’s case the court was not provided with Jovanović’s author’s contract, despite insistence by the attorney representing the targeted individuals, Marijana Laković.

Therefore, at this final hearing it was again noted that the parties’ legal representatives consider it undisputed that the first defendant (Jelena Jovanović) concluded an author’s contract with BIRN.

In addition to Martinović, those placed on BIRN’s map include civil activists Tatjana Knežević Perišić, Tijana Lopičić, Maja Miličković, as well as Nebojša Mrvaljević, Aleksandar Saša Zeković, Predrag Peđa Vušurović, and journalists Tanja Pavićević and Kaćuša Krsmanović.

Although the map was withdrawn, Jovanović and Tomović continued with shameless defamation, claiming that it was prepared in accordance with methodological principles and research mechanisms.

They also misled the court by claiming that the targeted individuals had never sent BIRN a rebuttal, which is not true.

That they were not telling the truth was also confirmed in court proceedings in Sarajevo, initiated by some of the targeted individuals against BIRN and Denis Džidić. First-instance defamation rulings have so far been issued in favor of Mrvaljević, Martinović, Knežević Perišić, Krsmanović, and Vušurović. All targeted individuals in Sarajevo are represented by attorney Senad Pećanin.

Within the framework of the map, BIRN published two reports - the first on November 16, 2022, and a revised version two weeks later, on November 30. Two weeks later, on December 13, the map was withdrawn from the website after a review process was initiated. A new map was published ten and a half months later, in early October 2023, with the Montenegro section containing no data. An apology from BIRN has never been issued.