The statement made by Stefan Ćulafić, a member of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) in the Podgorica parliament, asserting that cases of journalist murders and related issues should not currently occupy public attention is both troubling and hazardous. This is especially true given that the murder of the editor-in-chief of the newspaper Dan, Duško Jovanović, remains unsolved after 21 years. A society that aspires to be democratic should never turn a blind eye to the crimes committed against those who have brought corruption to light.

According to sources from “Vijesti,” Ćulafić’s message implies that emphasizing topics deemed “polarizing” and “painful for Montenegrin society,” including “journalist murders,” is not something that should be prioritized at the moment.

He made this remark while commenting on a presentation by Milan Paunović, a seasoned official from the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) and the Police Directorate (UP), during a session of the parliamentary Inquiry Committee focused on cases of allegedly politically motivated murders and assaults on journalists and intellectuals.

Ćulafić stated, “These issues have been relevant for around twenty years, yet the same narratives are being highlighted once again. One must ask why and for whose benefit,” during his appearance on Montenegro Television. He added that while he supports thorough investigations, he believes the Inquiry Committee was established to divert attention from crucial matters.

When asked by “Vijesti” if there is an inappropriate time to discuss unresolved murders, or when it would be appropriate to address such topics, Ćulafić did not respond. Meanwhile, the DPS has remained silent on whether his statement reflects the party’s official stance.

The inquiry committee resumed its activities in mid-May after a break of nearly two months, with plans to continue investigating murder and assault cases for an additional two years. Paunović’s statement has garnered significant public attention and mixed reactions from both government and opposition members. He noted that the “black threes” were led by the commander of the Special Police Unit and his associates, and that upon learning of the formation of these squads, he wrote to the then-Minister of the Interior, Vukašin Maraš, indicating that “had they grasped the messages” from his letter, Duško Jovanović and police inspector Slavoljub Šćekić would still be alive today.

The families of victims deserve the truth.

The European Commission (EC) has been alerting Montenegro for over a decade about how unsolved murders and attacks on officials, journalists, and intellectuals obstruct the nation’s path toward EU membership.

As noted in last year’s EC report, “Montenegro must especially prioritize timely and effective law enforcement to protect journalists from all forms of violence, along with prioritizing investigations and judicial follow-ups on key unresolved cases, ensuring consistent application of all media-related laws, and enforcing a zero-tolerance policy toward any form of pressure or harassment against journalists, including by public officials.”

The Director of Human Rights Action (HRA), Tea Gorjanc Prelevic, informed “Vijesti” that Duško Jovanović’s family has been advocating for decades to unveil and bring to justice all who were involved in and ordered the murder, despite the sensitive nature of the issue for them. She firmly believes that identifying all responsible parties would bring Montenegro closer to EU accession.

“Indeed, all state bodies, mainly the prosecutor’s office and the police, have a duty to pursue justice in this case. The statute of limitations for many discussions is outdated, including police torture incidents spanning over 20 years ago. However, dialogue is less harmful than inaction; that’s my perspective,” she remarked.

Gorjanc Prelević also assessed that individuals who lack substantiation for their public statements could face legal consequences, but after such a long time, the families of the victims, at the very least, deserve the truth. She perceives all testimonies before the committee as chances to achieve this.

When queried about what is required for prosecutors to act on these testimonies, Gorjanc Prelević noted that it is crucial that the statute of limitations for criminal prosecutions has not expired and that the testimonies can be corroborated by additional evidence.

Inconsiderate statements proliferate

Journalist and member of the Commission for Monitoring Investigations into Attacks on Journalists, Predrag Nikolić, stated to “Vijesti” that Ćulafić’s political agenda is apparent in his attempt to downplay Paunović’s statements for the benefit of the DPS. He mentioned that it would have been wiser not to make any statement in this context, particularly one that claims it’s not the proper time to discuss journalists and the serious crimes against them. He finds it tragicomic that politicians would ever suggest such matters divide society.

When asked if there’s a “right” time to address unresolved murders, Nikolić replied, “There is no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ time for it.”

“The truth should always be a topic of discussion. Yet, it often isn’t emphasized, which is why politicians need constant reminders of its significance. Unfortunately, their small political interests often take precedence over truth and justice. These topics do not actually polarize society; rather, it’s the careless remarks that do. Politicians are experts at sowing division for their benefit, and they do so quite effectively,” Nikolić observed.

Several officials from the ruling party, inclusive of the president of parliament, Andrija Mandić, and leader and MP of the Democratic People’s Party (DNP), Milan Knežević, along with MEPs from the Europe Now Movement (PES), Miodrag Laković, referred to Paunović’s testimony as “historic,” claiming that the former security officer’s presentation has already fulfilled the committee’s objectives.

When questioned whether he perceives that the ruling parties aim for the testimonies before the committee to translate into indictments in prosecutorial offices, or if they are merely using them to settle scores with political rivals, Nikolić responded that daily politics is indeed “the intention of the ruling parties.”

“This was evident from the very announcement of the Inquiry Committee’s establishment, as well as through the superficial political marketing during the committee’s sessions. However, what may hold social significance is gathering new information pertaining to past crimes. We hope this will be the primary focus of the committee’s activities instead of political grandstanding, and that the prosecutions will discover elements within these testimonies that can assist in addressing numerous unresolved crimes,” he expressed.

DPS demands an apology and hearing from Paunović

The head of the DPS parliamentary group and President of the Inquiry Committee, Andrija Nikolić, announced during yesterday’s parliamentary session that Paunović should apologize for claiming that the state had attacked his son, a statement which the musician later denied, Bato Vujosevic.

Paunović accused Vujošević of being part of a group that attacked his son in 2009, but Vujošević states that Paunović’s son provoked a fight in a restaurant.

DPS spokesman Milos Nikolić contacted the chief special prosecutor Vladimir Novović the day before last to request that Paunović be questioned, stating that Paunović merely recited notes constructed by the Security and Information Agency (BIA) of Serbia.

Podgorica ruling parties: Ćulafić trivializes crimes

The President of the Capital City Assembly, Jelena Borovinić Bojović, along with all the leaders of the ruling majority clubs in that parliament, called on Ćulafić to apologize to the families of Duško Jovanović, Slavoljub Šćekić, Pavle Bulatović, Darko Raspopović, Goran Žugić, and all the families impacted by the “black threes” and their orchestrators and executors.

They contend that the DPS councilor resorted to “irresponsible relativization that sends a perilous message.”

“This means that monstrous crimes should remain unresolved, and that society should never confront the dark facets of its past, where individuals suffered simply for holding differing opinions or for having the bravery to challenge a repressive system,” they articulated.

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