The Podgorica Basic Prosecutor’s Office has initiated witness questioning regarding the potential misuse of an official parliamentary vehicle on the night Danilo Mandić, the nephew and unofficial bodyguard of Assembly Speaker Andrija Mandić, allegedly injured two individuals in the city.

The prosecutor’s office informed “Vijesti” that it had opened a case at the end of April due to possible misuse of the car belonging to the highest legislative body.

“We want to inform you that the investigation into this case is active. The acting state prosecutor is taking all necessary legal actions, including interviewing witnesses and gathering information from relevant institutions,” stated the organization led by Prosecutor Duško Milanović.

The Higher State Prosecutor’s Office in Podgorica suspects Danilo Mandić of attempted aggravated murder, alleging he injured Darko Perović and Aris Turković on April 19. According to the Police Department, Mandić obstructed Perović and Turković’s path with an official Range Rover vehicle and fired “several shots at them, causing injuries to their legs.” On April 21, a judge at the Podgorica Higher Court ordered that he be detained for up to 30 days, which was later extended for two months on May 22.

Despite Mandić’s legal representative arguing that the charges were based solely on the testimonies of the injured parties, during the hearing at the Higher Prosecutor’s Office, they claimed he did not shoot at them and declined to participate in the criminal prosecution.

Perović stated during the April 23 hearing that Mandić did not fire at him, alleging that police had threatened and coerced him into accusing the Assembly Speaker’s nephew. Consequently, the police have filed criminal charges against Perović.

The opposition Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) and Social Democrats (SD) submitted a motion on May 8 to remove Andrija Mandić due to the incident involving his nephew and an official vehicle, which will be discussed in parliament today.

To remove the parliament speaker, at least 41 MPs’ approval is required. However, many ruling parties have expressed that the speaker should not resign over alleged parliamentary vehicle misuse, indicating they will not support the removal motion.

Even if the DPS and SD, which have 17 and three parliamentarians respectively, secured backing from the ruling Bosniak Party, which has already voted to dismiss Mandić, they would still lack sufficient support. The Bosniak Party has six members, while the Civic Movement (GP) URA has four, and the Democratic Union of Albanians and the Croatian Civic Initiative each have one, totaling 32 with DPS and SD. Support from two independent MPs, Jevrosima Pejović and Radinka Ćinćur, alongside Force MP Ilir Čapuni who previously indicated he would support Mandić’s dismissal, would not provide the necessary majority for removal (35 votes).

On April 24, DPS, SD, and GP URA submitted a request to the parliamentary Committee on Security and Defense for a control hearing involving the Supreme State Prosecutor Milorad Marković and the acting Police Administration director Lazar Šćepanović. The request stated concerns regarding the authorities’ response, questioning the legality and objectivity of their actions.

They demand to “clarify all facts and circumstances around the attempted aggravated murder,” addressing how the Higher Prosecutor’s Office characterized the incident and whether there was any effort to conceal evidence or obstruct the case against the suspect “to illegally favor the suspect’s position in the impending criminal process.”

“This hearing is vital for maintaining public trust in governmental institutions and reinforcing the rule of law,” the request outlines.

The DPS previously asserted that in a democratic nation, the parliament speaker “would immediately resign under these circumstances,” not out of a legal obligation, but due to an understanding that he is “morally unfit to continue in office after such events.”

Parliament and Mandić have not yet responded to “Vijesti”‘s inquiries regarding the vehicle allegedly operated by Danilo Mandić on April 19, which is currently under scrutiny.

Andrija Mandić stated on April 30 that he has refrained from public comments to avoid giving any impression of exerting pressure on authorities.

“This is a new Montenegro, where no one is exempt from the consequences of legal accountability, assuming they are truly guilty. I learned of the allegations against my nephew through the media, just like most citizens. According to official reports, the two injured individuals specifically assert that Danilo is not connected to this unfortunate incident; nonetheless, he remains in pretrial detention,” he expressed on the Iks network.

Mandić expressed his hope for a “swift, thorough, and independent investigation.”

“Unless someone believes he (Danilo Mandić) should face lethal consequences before the proceedings conclude, it would be beneficial for individuals with such thoughts to make their positions known to the Montenegrin public,” he added.

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