Trial for terrorism on the day of the parliamentary elections in Montenegro postponed

The trial of those accused of attempted terrorism on the day of the 2016 parliamentary elections has been postponed after lawyer Miroje Jovanović requested the recusal of Chief Special Prosecutor Milivoje Katnić and all prosecutors in the special prosecution, in the proceedings before the High Court, RT CG reports, Patria agency conveys. 

The lawyer for one of the DF leaders, Andrija Mandić, and his driver Mihailo Čađenović, Miroje Jovanović, said that several defence lawyers had filed a request with the Supreme State Prosecutor's Office (VDT) for the recusal of Chief Special Prosecutor Milivoje Katnić and all prosecutors in the proceedings.

He stated that the Chief Special Prosecutor had taken a "completely biased approach to the case by making conversations and transcripts publicly available on the prosecutor's website, not only of the defence lawyers and defendants, but also the mutual communication of lawyers". 

- It is clear that the Chief Special Prosecutor, and the prosecutor from the Special Prosecution, Saša Čađenović, must immediately cease working on this case - said Jovanović.

He stated that the case was "contaminated by the communication of the defence lawyers". This, he said, is scandalous, which is why the Bar Association of Montenegro reacted.

The panel of judge Suzana Mugoša subsequently made a decision to postpone the hearing.

One of the DF leaders and suspects for attempted terrorism on the day of the 2016 parliamentary elections, Milan Knežević, announced before the start of the trial that it was a "politically fabricated process".

On the other hand, Mandić stated that the process "resembles the bomb trial of 1907".

- Here, as then, it is a fabricated political process, and here is a good opportunity for everyone to come forward with their evidence - said Mandić.

He also reminded that innocent people are in prison, assessing that he hopes they will break the "false constructions" of special prosecutor Milivoje Katnić and stop the state terror against the DF.

The accused Eduard Šišmakov, Vladimir Popov, Predrag Bogićević, and Nemanja Ristić, who are being tried in absentia, did not attend the hearing.

Otherwise, by order of judge Suzana Mugoša, the main hearing was scheduled for July 19, 20, and 21.

We remind you that the indictment of the Special Prosecution includes DF leaders Andrija Mandić and Milan Knežević, Mandić's driver Mihailo Čađenović, as well as two Russian citizens Eduard Šišmakov and Vladimir Popov, and nine Serbian citizens.

The proceedings against the Front's translator Ananije Nikić are being conducted separately.