Members of the Radio and Television of Montenegro (RTCG) Council have been urged multiple times against choosing Boris Raonić as the General Director of the Public Service Broadcaster, as doing so could lead to potential criminal liability.

This assertion was made by Vice President of the RTCG Council, Marijana Camović Veličković, during a session at the Podgorica Basic Court.

The Basic State Prosecutor’s Office in Podgorica previously charged the chairman and four members of the RTCG Council related to the unlawful appointment of Boris Raonić as Director General.

As reported earlier by “Vijesti”, they are accused of engaging in abuse of their official roles in concert.

The indictment targets Council President Veselin Drljević and members Filip Lazović, Amina Murić, Naod Zorić, as well as former member Predrag Miranović.

According to Camović Veličković, the session during which Raonić was elected as Director General followed a prior meeting where management options at RTCG were evaluated.

“I arrived a few minutes late to a Public Service Council meeting. We were presented with a ruling that emphasized the need to either annul the job advertisement or to select from the remaining candidates from 2021. The reasoning was not clear to those present. Raonić, who was there, intervened, claiming he was aware of the ruling weeks in advance… The discussion centered around four candidates, and after assessing the situation, I believed the competition should be voided since Boris Raonić could not qualify for the role,” said Camović Veličković.

She mentioned an assertion that Raonić faced no obstacles as a candidate, leading Camović Veličković to respond, “They were not chosen to find comfort in this.”

As the session approached, they voted on whether it would be public. Near the end, Raonić dictated the agenda to Drljević, who then presented it to us. I pleaded with them not to include Raonić on the list, deeming it illegal… I cautioned that they were stepping into potential criminal liability. When lawyers suggested there was no such liability, I continued to instruct Council members to adhere to the final ruling,” she explained.

Camović Veličković emphasized that she requested the Council act in accordance with the first-instance ruling and avoid appealing it.

“After the intermission, I asked Drljević to review the candidate list with me, which he denied. I exited the session, and shortly after, the Council voted, leading to Raonić’s election,” noted the RTCG Vice President.

She reiterated that Raonić should not have been on that candidate list and accused the Council members of facilitating his unlawful selection.

Camović Velicković shared that a copy of the second-instance ruling was provided by lawyer Zorica Đukanović, and remarked that she believes lawyer Saša Vuković did not participate in the meeting but rather in the session.

When asked by the RTCG defense if she voted in subsequent sessions, Camović Velicković stated she supported the motion to dismiss Council President Veselin Drljević because she deems him “unworthy of that position.”

“He is not a credible witness”

Lawyer Vladan Bojić inquired if there was any personal conflict between her and Raonić. She responded that “from my perspective, there isn’t,” asserting she merely performed her public duty.

Lawyer Tomica Knežević asked if she was aware of Article 50 of the Law on National Public Broadcasting, to which she confirmed familiarity, stating it was the clause that barred Raonić from candidacy.

“The final decision indicates that by nullifying the source, we revert to the state of affairs pre-2021 elections, during which Raonić had a conflict of interest, confirmed by final judgments. We were deliberating on the 2021 competition, not 2023. I reiterated that during the session on that day,” explained Camović Veličković.

Defendant Amina Murić questioned Camović Veličković regarding claims that she “sought employment for her husband” through Raonić.

“That is absolutely false,” Camović Veličković firmly stated.

Lawyer Nebojša Asanović criticized Camović Veličković, suggesting she was shifting blame onto RTCG Council members. He expressed concern over her lack of positive feedback for the Public Service Broadcaster’s work, calling into question her credibility as a witness.

Lawyer Bojić labeled Camović Veličković a stalker, suggesting it was implausible for her to be the sole moral compass at RTCG and accusing her of harboring an obsession with Raonić.

“Deliberately misled the public”

Defendant Veselin Drljević refuted claims that agendas were dictated by others.

“I understood my responsibilities… She misled the public twice on purpose. At each session, she denounced the media that she oversaw. I contest her false statements,” he remarked.

Defendant Filip Lazović expressed hope that Camović Veličković would recognize her role in the proceedings and refrain from sharing her personal impressions unrelated to the case.

Defendant Amina Murić accused Camović Veličković of making untrue statements.

Špajak: I inquired if there was potential criminal liability

RTCG Council member Milica Špajak stated that in 2023, she expressed the opinion that a competition should be announced for selecting the director of the Public Service Broadcaster.

“I did not vote and took the ballot. I remained until the end of the session without casting a vote,” said Špajak.

She mentioned that she asked lawyer Đukanović about the possibility of criminal liability for Council members, to which the conclusion was that there was none.

Špajak concurred with Murić that the session should have been closed to the public due to the limited space for journalists.

She remarked that she hadn’t discussed the vote with other Council members.

“As I recall, there were two breaks, but the duration escapes my memory,” she added.

Prosecutor: Špajak’s considerations reflect uncertainty

Prosecutor Igor Šćekić noted that Špajak had deliberated over criminal liability, suggesting the situation was unclear.

“The witness’s testimony raises questions as she suggested a proposal that was reportedly ignored, leading to uncertainties about whether a vote occurred on her proposal,” he stated.

Bojić characterized Špajak’s fears of criminal liability as a natural response, attributing it to the “persecution” by Camović Veličković.

Drljević emphasized that the Council does not operate under mutiny.

“While there may be dissent among Council members, all matters should proceed through voting,” he elaborated.

Baća: I sensed the court hesitated to decide, shifting responsibility to us

Witness Bojan Baća conveyed his shock at receiving the verdict, describing it as “illiterate” and written in a stream-of-consciousness style, during an informal meeting.

“I was perplexed about why we were tasked with interpreting that decision… I’m not a lawyer and generally rely on their insights. My issue stemmed from my inability to comprehend its dual interpretations. My colleagues provided compelling arguments. I felt the court was reluctant to render a decision and instead tossed the responsibility to us,” Baća stated, indicating considerable public pressure.

Judge Dragana Lubarda advised him to stick to the facts and avoid elaborating on the Montenegrin judicial system.

Baća recalled that he resigned on June 1, 2023.

“I focused on my professional responsibilities,” he remarked.

Baća revealed he informed Raonić of his resignation, asserting he faced no pressure.

“In my view, the atmosphere was conducive for work. I didn’t perceive any conspiratorial dynamics,” he concluded.

The court to acquire the rules of procedure

Lawyer Marković suggested the court acquire the RTCG Council’s rules of procedure that were in effect during the contested vote.

The hearing is set to resume on June 6th.

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