The Basic State Prosecutor’s Office (ODT) in Kotor has revised its prior decision not to pursue charges against Zoran Đurović from Danilovgrad for his threats directed at the President of the Municipality of Tivat, Željko Komnenović.

This was confirmed to “Vijesti” by Komnenović, who stated that he learned of the Kotor prosecutor’s decision to pursue criminal action against Đurović from his attorney, Mladen Peruničić, as well as from the Tivat police, who had previously submitted Komnenović’s complaint against Đurović to the ODT in mid-January.

Komnenović had filed a police report stating that Đurović had threatened him and his family through comments on the Facebook profile of the local media outlet, Bokanews, from Tivat.

In response to the incident involving the burning of Tivat parish priest Miajlo Backović’s car on January 13th at about 1:30 a.m. outside Backović’s residence, the Mayor of Tivat urged authorities to swiftly identify those responsible for this criminal act, claiming that it “seriously harmed Tivat’s reputation as a peaceful and secure municipality.”

“The security situation in our community has worsened, particularly during religious holidays. The vehicle belonging to Archpriest Backović was set ablaze in front of his home, marking the first incident of its kind in Tivat. Therefore, I call on the Police Directorate and the Ministry of Internal Affairs to resolve this matter quickly to avert any potential security instability that could spread from other towns in Montenegro to Tivat,” Komnenović stated later that day.

His remarks received media coverage, including mentions by Bokanews. Under the post concerning Komnenović’s response to the burning of the priest’s vehicle, Zoran Đurović left a threatening message for Komnenović:

“Easy, your turn will come.”

The Mayor interpreted this message, pointed out to him by friends since he is not personally active on social media, as a threat.

Consequently, on January 16, Komnenović reported the matter to the Tivat police, stressing that Đurović’s message, “take it easy, it’ll be your turn,” constituted a direct threat to him and his family.

“Given the context of the vehicle arson targeting priest Miajlo Backović, I feel endangered along with my family, and I urge the relevant authorities to take appropriate action and provide protection,” stated Komnenović’s report.

Following standard legal procedures, the police forwarded the report to the Basic State Prosecutor’s Office in Kotor. However, prosecutor Nikoleta Golubović decided that Đurović’s actions did not amount to the criminal offense of “endangering security” or any other charge prosecutable ex officio. Instead, she instructed the Tivat police to file a misdemeanor report against Đurović.

Đurović allegedly claimed that his Facebook profile had been hacked long ago and that he had not issued any threats against Komnenović.

Komnenović expressed outrage over Golubović’s decision not to prosecute Đurović, telling “Vijesti” ten days ago that “this isn’t the first time, nor will it be the last, that neither the ODT Kotor nor the Higher State Prosecutor’s Office in Podgorica has responded appropriately to the threats I continually receive, including instances of potential physical violence when certain politicians linked to the former regime invaded my office at the Municipality of Tivat and verbally assaulted me in front of witnesses.”

He emphasized that, as a public figure, he is accustomed to facing insults and severe political attacks on social media and media comments. However, he strongly objects to public threats against his and his family’s safety going unaddressed by competent state authorities.

After media coverage of prosecutor Golubović’s actions, the Kotor ODT reversed its stance, informing the Tivat police and Komnenović’s legal representative that they would indeed prosecute Đurović on the grounds of the criminal offense of “endangering security” against the President of the Municipality of Tivat.

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