The Center for Democratic Transition (CDT) announced today that it has submitted a proposal to the Prosecutorial Council of Montenegro, urging that body to leverage its legal authority to review the actions of the relevant prosecutor’s offices in the case concerning Danilo Mandić, who is suspected of attempted aggravated murder.

“This case has generated significant public attention, compounded by various conflicting statements issued recently by representatives of the prosecutor’s office, police, and defense. These include uncertainties surrounding the investigation, forensic processes, the utilization of an official vehicle, and the promptness of the response. Public concern is further intensified by the fact that the suspect is a close associate and relative of a high-ranking state official. The CDT emphasizes that a swift and transparent response from the Prosecutorial Council is vital for maintaining citizens’ confidence in judicial institutions,” states the CDT’s announcement.

The motion to the Prosecutor’s Office was signed by CDT’s Executive Director, Dragan Kopricica.

“Esteemed members of the Prosecutorial Council, we are presenting this initiative in alignment with your powers outlined in Article 42 of the Law on the State Prosecutor’s Office (‘Official Gazette of Montenegro’, No. 11/2015, 42/2015, 80/2017, 10/2018, 76/2020, 59/2021, and 54/2024), regarding a matter of exceptional public interest that has recently led to numerous controversies, warranted suspicions, and inconsistent information concerning the actions of the pertinent state prosecutor’s offices and the police. This pertains to the case against Danilo Mandić, a close affiliate and relative of the President of the Parliament of Montenegro, who is accused of attempted aggravated murder. According to various media reports, two individuals were injured in the incident, prompting numerous claims of potential irregularities and failures by the relevant authorities,” the CDT motion outlines.

It is noted that considering the multitude of unresolved queries—ranging from whether and when an on-site investigation was conducted, to the timeliness of the authorities’ response, the possible use of an official vehicle, and the (non-)execution of forensic procedures, along with varying statements from representatives of prosecutor’s offices, police, and attorneys—the CDT believes that it is essential for the Prosecutorial Council, within its capabilities:

• to request all data and information from the Basic State Prosecutor’s Office in Podgorica and the Higher State Prosecutor’s Office regarding actions taken in this case,
• to perform a direct review of official documents, documentation, and all pertinent data associated with this case,
• to inform the public of the findings and any discrepancies observed in the actions of the prosecutor’s offices.

“Given the public’s expressed skepticism regarding the actions of judicial authorities and the gravity of public accusations—including suspicions that the suspect may be receiving preferential treatment due to his political ties—we believe that a prompt and open response from the Prosecutorial Council is critical for safeguarding the integrity of the judicial system, as well as citizens’ trust in institutions. We are confident that the Prosecutorial Council will acknowledge the significance of this case to the public interest and act accordingly,” the CDT’s initiative concludes.

Prosecutors in Podgorica are investigating whether Danilo Mandić, the nephew and informal bodyguard of Parliament Speaker Andrija Mandić, misappropriated an official parliamentary vehicle during the incident in which he allegedly injured two people in Podgorica.

This information was communicated to “Vijesti” yesterday by the Podgorica Basic State Prosecutor’s Office (ODT).

News