The Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature (FCJK) vehemently condemns the brutal physical assault on photojournalists from Vijesti and Pobjeda in Gornji Zaostar, who were attacked solely for performing their professional duties. This despicable act of violence is not an isolated occurrence but a direct result of years of tolerating and normalizing Chetnik ideology within Montenegro’s public sphere, and it is incited by the current hate speech of Metodije Ostojić, who aligns with the ideological tenets of the Chetnik movement.

This is articulated in a press release issued by Sanja Orlandić on behalf of FCJK.

“The Chetnik movement, whose historical essence entails the ethnic cleansing of non-Serbs, collaboration with the occupier, and the denial of Montenegrin statehood, is being resurrected today through monuments honoring war criminals, revisionist narratives, and political protection of extremists. They reject free speech, a free media, and an independent citizenry. Journalists face violence, insults, and humiliation because truth and documented facts are the most significant threats to every fascist and proto-fascist ideology,” the statement reads.

It is particularly outrageous, it notes, that police services were present during the attack yet failed to intervene against the assailants.

“Such inaction raises concerns about institutional complicity and communicates to the public that the law is not applied universally. In a country aspiring for European Union membership, such incidents and the tolerance of Chetnik extremism signify a moral decline,” the statement added.

The FCJK urges the prosecutor’s office to promptly pursue legal action against the attackers and to investigate the accountability of all officials who neglected their responsibilities.

“Moreover, we demand that state authorities finally prohibit the public display of Chetnik symbols and the glorification of ideologies that undermine the anti-fascist legacy and jeopardize citizen safety. Media freedom is the cornerstone of any democratic society. Its suppression through violence is an assault not only on journalists but on society as a whole. It is our obligation to communicate a clear message: Montenegro will not be held hostage by failed ideologies from the past century,” the statement concludes.

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