The head of City Television, Vladimir Otašević, labeled the incident involving Jelena Z. Radonjic as an act of terrorism. Two nights ago, Radonjic drove his vehicle through a barricade in front of a temple in Podgorica, injuring two individuals, while attributing blame to various politicians and media colleagues.

Following Otašević’s claim, the post quickly vanished from his Facebook profile, only to reappear modified for his friends later that morning.

A public official, speaking to Vijesti, expressed that he sees nothing objectionable in his posts, citing a recent article from ‘Vijesti’ about the threat of terrorism in Montenegro.

Vijesti’s sources concur that comments like those from Otašević could potentially “push an unstable society toward undesirable outcomes” and emphasized that it is crucial for anyone identifying as a journalist to understand this:

“Whether funded by tabloid outlets or by the citizens of Podgorica,” remarked the editor-in-chief of the Raskrinkavanje.me platform, Darvin Murić.

The police issued a public statement urging citizens to avoid negative comments and posts that could further disturb the public.

“Given the location of the incident, and since this criminal act does not appear to have the characteristics of a premeditated violent act, considering the perpetrator’s circumstances, she was transported to the Clinical Center for medical care,” the official police statement elaborated.

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“The situation in Podgorica is seemingly fueled by paranoia and animosity propagated by certain politicians and media colleagues,” Otašević commented on Facebook. He attached a link to that broadcaster’s portal shortly after JR (44) drove through a fence, impacting a Turkish citizen KB (44) and another local, JR (22).

Otašević’s original claim remained publicly visible on Facebook for some time until it suddenly disappeared yesterday morning, although screenshots continued to circulate.

After Vijesti posed questions to Otašević, the post reappeared but altered, now visible only to his friends:

“Is this incident in Podgorica really terrorism, apparently driven by paranoia and hatred fostered by some politicians and media figures,” read Otašević’s revised post, which garnered over 120 reactions, along with controversial comments that he did not address.

When asked how he justified labeling the event as terrorism, and whether it was ethical for him to make such assertions without knowing all the facts, Otašević replied with a question:

“Dear colleague, what’s so controversial about my comment? Everyone knows that paranoia and animosity have been rampant in Montenegrin media. Just about twenty days ago, ‘Vijesti’ published an article concerning the threat of terrorism in Montenegro, while certain media platforms, like ‘Aktuelno’, have aimed at specific religious communities without consequences,” asserted Otašević.

On the topic of his deleted comment, and whether it implied he responded unprofessionally, Otašević insisted that he didn’t delete anything.

“I did not delete the comment as you suggest. Please stop misleading the public, as you have since my appointment as director. Attached you’ll find links to two articles; if you intend to publish anything, please include my complete response,” he stated.

He shared a link from ‘Vijesti’, citing official responses from the National Security Agency regarding potential terrorism threats, and a link to an article from ‘Aktuelno’ titled “Abuse of Orthodoxy for Warmongering Purposes.”

Vijesti pressed further and also reached out to the president of the City TV Council, Vesna Radulović.

“… I’m currently traveling. Apologies, but I didn’t receive your email. It might be due to roaming,” Radulović stated briefly over the phone.

Murić: Instigating Panic

Murić noted that with recent violent crimes exceeding expectations for a country like Montenegro, it’s clear that the media and those placed in charge by political figures have yet to learn how to report sensitively in such moments. “Vijesti” heard from him yesterday.

“We’re adapted to politicians hastily tweeting and taking on roles as experts while inducing panic, but if there are no repercussions for them, the media that fails to act responsibly in reporting incidents where someone drives a vehicle into pedestrians must be held accountable, be it privately-owned outlets or those that belong to the citizens. For example, the tabloid ‘Alo’ unprofessionally speculated on motives, even when the police confirmed there was no sign of a planned violent act, suggesting that investigators might view this incident through a lens of national or religious hatred,” Murić emphasized.

He pointed out that although police reports indicated there was no planned violence, they still urged citizens not to share reckless speculation on social media, highlighting the need for the media to practice restraint.

“…You can be assured that in the coming days, various interpretations and opinions regarding these events will emerge. Interpretation is the responsibility of the police, the prosecutor’s office, and the judiciary. Media experts who proclaim themselves as national security savants and showcase their ‘expertise’ on social platforms while later altering their stances lack accountability. Transitioning from a journalist to a directorial role does not guarantee expertise on terrorism; it simply necessitates accountability for each statement made, especially those that might have serious repercussions,” cautioned Murić.

He stressed that “misinforming about political issues is one thing, but disseminating false news about an event that could have resulted in loss of life is wholly different, particularly since inducing panic among uninformed individuals can lead to severe consequences.”

“Recalling violent happenings, interpreting them through national-religious lenses, or assuming absurd conspiracy theories, such as police being fired upon during ceremonies, alongside labeling a vehicle incident as terrorism, risks steering an unstable society toward unforeseen outcomes. This should be clear to all who claim to be journalists, regardless of whether their paychecks come from tabloids or the citizens of Podgorica,” Murić concluded.

Đurović: Political Obligations

Goran Đurović, Director of the Media Center, remarked that Otašević “demonstrated through his hasty statement regarding the incident near the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, his questionable journalistic understanding.”

“Publishing unverified claims of terrorism and attributing blame to politicians and media for fostering ‘paranoia and hatred’ is nothing short of scandalous. Otašević’s position as head of RTV Podgorica makes the situation even more concerning, highlighting an evident inclination to disseminate unverified information, bypassing confirmation from officials (in this instance, the Police Directorate or appropriate prosecutor’s office),” Đurović noted.

He emphasized the necessity of additional caution in such contexts.

“…As spreading unverified information could incite violence toward individuals or groups within the community. Otašević’s remark exemplifies why his appointment was controversial and suggests an obligation to repay favors to the political mentors who facilitated his position,” Đurović articulated.

Andrija Klikovac, a councilor from the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) within the Capital City Assembly, stated that Otašević’s announcement exemplifies unprofessionalism, bias, and ill intentions.

“Otašević fails to set an example for fellow journalists; instead, he reinforces the belief that political alignment with the ruling coalition was the sole reason for his appointment. The modification of his post reflects his lack of seriousness and past instances of him deleting various status updates under pressure from political leaders like Mayor Saša Mujović. I anticipate his dismissal after this controversy, especially following the disapproving DRI report,” Klikovac assessed.

SMCG: Uphold Journalistic Ethics

The Media Union of Montenegro (SMCG) refrained from commenting on “the manner in which media outlets and their representatives report on specific events.”

“…To allow room for trade associations. As the largest media organization of this kind in Montenegro, we consistently urge our colleagues to uphold the Code and ethical standards that distinguish media professionals from other content creators, ensuring the public is provided with reliable information,” they stated.

They cautioned that prejudging situations surrounding events could lead to public unrest.

“Which goes against the aforementioned ethical standards; thus, we urge all journalists to be vigilant and avoid misuse.”

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