Knežević on the Injac case: Prison - big time, the SSPO acts selectively

Former Minister of Defence Olivera Injac was institutionally protected by the Special State Prosecutor’s Office (SSPO). She abused her official position in several instances to an extent that warrants prison, claims the leader of the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) Milan Knežević.

Appearing on TV Adria, he said that the Special State Prosecutor’s Office acts selectively. He also commented on a public address by former special prosecutor Lidija Mitrović, who claims that her years-long persecution was organized and led by Novović in connection with the Injac case.

- From what I saw as President of the Committee on Security and Defence, she abused her official position in several cases to a degree that, in my opinion, warrants prison. Prison - big time. How and why Chief Special Prosecutor Vladimir Novović issued two binding instructions for Mrs Olivera Injac is a matter for him, but also for Supreme State Prosecutor Marković and the Prosecutorial Council. The Prosecutorial Council must take a position on this, because it is completely contrary to the Law on the State Prosecution - Knežević assessed.

„They never 'touch' the ENM, Injac should have been in detention for abuse of office“

He reiterated that the SSPO acts selectively, and also questioned what he described as sensational arrests and the fact that no one „touches“ the Europe Now Movement (ENM). Knežević recalled that Novović issued as many as two binding instructions to Special Prosecutor Mitrović in the Injac case.

- They carry out arrests in a sensational, reality-show atmosphere of the so-called two opposing poles - Montenegrin and Serbian, that is, the former Democratic Front and the former Democratic Party of Socialist. But they never „touch“ the Europe Now Movement. Injac should have been in detention. I have nothing against her personally, but this lady should have been detained for abuse of office committed while she was Minister of Defence. I ask to whom else have two binding instructions been issued in abuse-of-office cases, as they were to Olivera Injac? To no one - only to Mrs Injac. And where is she now? She is ambassador in Brussels. So, she has been rewarded - the DPP leader said.

„Šćepanović gave himself the nickname 'tiger' and thinks we all must call him that“

Knežević also commented on the work of Police Directorate Director Lazar Šćepanović. He referred to the reasoning style of Šćepanović, recalling a statement by the President of the Podgorica High Court Zoran Radović, who said that Šćepanović should be banned from interpreting legal norms.

- Imagine sending a message to the Director of Police that he should be banned from interpreting legal norms. That man is the Director of Police. I once said that he makes me a bit afraid. He presents himself, he gave himself the nickname 'tiger' when they went to America. He dubbed himself 'tiger' and thinks we all must call him that. Well, I won’t call him that. Not to mention what happened in the U.S., how he knocked down a plywood house because he started the car incorrectly, instead of driving forward he put it in reverse and it all collapsed. And not to mention the security check regarding the agent who trained him - his surname is Konstansa, let him deny it if it’s not true. What he did to Konstansa while he was in Podgorica, but I won’t go into details. Just so no one thinks we are naive - Knežević said.

Knežević believes that Šćepanović cannot remain Director of Police and should be dismissed.

„If Vesna Bratić is guilty of anything, then Zdravko Krivokapić should be the head of an OCG“

Speaking about the latest arrests, Knežević asked why former Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapić remains silent about the arrest of former Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Vesna Bratić. In his opinion, Krivokapić should be designated as the head of an organized criminal group (OCG).

- If Vesna Bratić is guilty of anything, then Zdravko Krivokapić should be a member of an OCG, because he was Prime Minister, meaning he is the head of the OCG. Zdravko Krivokapić knows best what he demanded from Vesna Bratić. If Bratić is to be held accountable, then Krivokapić should be designated as the head of the OCG. This is a matter for the SSPO, which means it concerns an organized criminal group, because Bratić is no longer a public official, which suggests that more people are involved. I expect Zdravko Krivokapić to be included as well - the DPP leader stressed.

He added that the arrest of Blažo Šaranović was „carried out so spectacularly as if he had taken 20 hostages at an airport somewhere and was then arrested after a long investigation“.

- After all, this is Montenegro, we all know each other. There is no need for media theatrics that ultimately end in a farce, because most of these people are later released. I also believe Jelena Perović could have been arrested in a very different way, without that spectacle, as could many others who were arrested and later released. If you are going to arrest someone, why must you first inform the media so that 30 cameras show up and film and photograph everything? What message are you sending? Can you arrest someone without cameras rolling? Or must cameras be turned on for everything? It is not natural to turn every arrest in Montenegro into a reality show and a sensation, and then when Miloš Medenica escapes, it is blamed on artificial intelligence. When we cannot solve something, it is artificial intelligence; but when points are to be scored - then all the cameras are switched on - Knežević told Adria.