Zoran Lazović, the former Assistant Director of the Police Administration, has denied allegations that he sought to lift the entry ban into Montenegro for Veljko Belivuk and Marko Miljković.

The trial commenced today at the Higher Court in Podgorica, presided over by Judge Veljko Radovanović, following the reading of two indictments against Lazović, along with former Chief Special Prosecutor Milivoj Katnić, and Special Prosecutor Saša Čađenović, for charges including the creation of a criminal organization, abuse of office, and money laundering.

Pleading guilty to the seven-count indictment, Lazović expressed he intends to admit guilt on all counts. He shared his intention to keep his statement brief but felt compelled to provide a defense since the proceedings were being recorded.

“I comprehend the charges against me but do not acknowledge any criminal wrongdoing. The prosecutor has effectively convicts me. I will respond to questions posed by the court and the defense. It is not accurate that I sought to lift the entry ban for Veljko Belivuk and Marko Miljković,” Lazović stated.

He admitted to one charge of abuse of office.

“It is false that I asked Enis Baković to remove the entry ban for members of the Serbia-based OKG, Veljko Belivuk and Marko Miljković. I did not issue any verbal or written directives regarding this matter. Given my position at the time, it fell outside my jurisdiction,” Lazović explained.

He further mentioned that the service had received reports about the disappearances of Damir Hodžić and Adis Spahić in Montenegro. According to the SDT’s indictments, the two were allegedly murdered on October 14, 2020, in Stanjevića Rupa, in Ratko Živković’s residence.

“Around that time, L. Vukićević from Serbia also went missing. When we suspected that Hodžić and Spahić may have been killed, we reached out to our Serbian counterparts to investigate whether these cases were linked. These individuals were recognized as members of certain clans,” Lazović clarified.

He added that they discovered Hodžić and Spahić were last tracked in Danilovgrad, and during this period, two encrypted phones imported from Serbia were detected in that vicinity.

Lazović highlighted that they arranged meetings with Serbian colleagues to share information regarding the case. They learned that one user of an encrypted phone, traced to Danilovgrad, was later found in Serbia.

“Our Serbian colleagues informed us that an encrypted phone was switched off near the ‘Partizan’ stadium in Belgrade, but they could not identify the user. Subsequently, we received notice that Veljko Belivuk and Marko Miljković from Serbia were en route to Montenegro. I learned this from my colleague Milorad Žižić, who was relaying information from Milovan Pavićević, the then head of the Central Police Station in Podgorica, who was subsequently advised by the head of the Belgrade Police,” Lazović recounted.

Katnić, for his part, also pleaded not guilty to any criminal charges.

“I understand the charges against me and will answer the panel’s and defense’s questions. I shall refrain from responding to inquiries from the special prosecutor, Miloš Šoškić, and I have my reasons. He was tasked with presenting the facts accurately and comprehensively, but he has failed to do so. He has falsified evidence and concealed certain details, including during the indictment reading. He stated that indictment KS 117/23 was filed against me and Lazović, implicating Saša Čađenović as though he was part of our offenses, despite filing a separate indictment KS 350/22 against Čađenović,” Katnić asserted.

Defendant Čađenović also declared his innocence, stating he would present his defense in court.

Defense attorney Nikola Martinović then addressed the panel regarding the status of Saša Čađenović.

“I seek clarification on Saša Čađenović’s status. Will he respond as a witness or as an accused while I query about the indictments against Lazović and Katnić? This needs to be established first,” he stated.

Following this, Zoran Piperović, Lazović’s defense attorney, emphasized the importance of determining Čađenović’s status.

“Saša Čađenović becomes a member of a criminal organization the moment Zoran Lazović and Milovoje Katnić ceased their functions. From that point onward, Čađenović stands alone in the OGK; there are no others involved. Initially, there is no established organized criminal group. The Criminal Procedure Code affords you the opportunity to address this matter procedurally,” Piperović remarked to the panel.

The presiding judge, Veljko Radovanović, declared a recess.

The pre-trial panel of the Higher Court in Podgorica upheld the SDT’s indictment, charging Lazović with creating a criminal organization under Article 401a, paragraph 1, in conjunction with paragraph 6 of the Montenegro Criminal Code, abuse of official position under Article 416, paragraph 1, and related regulations. The indictment further includes charges against defendant Katnić for creating a criminal organization under Article 401a, paragraph 2 in conjunction with paragraphs 1 and 6 of the Montenegro Criminal Code, and multiple counts of abuse of official position and illegal possession of weapons and explosives.

In October of last year, the Special State Prosecutor’s Office charged Lazović and Katnić with offenses related to the creation of a criminal organization, abuse of official position, and other serious offenses.

Lazović is accused of orchestrating a criminal organization in 2020, which included Katnić, Čađenović, and other unidentified individuals, collaborating with a criminal enterprise spearheaded by Radoje Zvicer, the estranged leader of the Kavač clan.

The former GST allegedly abused his official position in January 2022, alongside prosecutor Čađenović, who was responsible for the case, to secure benefits for several individuals tied to the criminal organization.

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