REACTION FROM MONTENEGRO Instead of external review and removal of the interactive map, BIRN continues targeting

By Nevena Kovačević

Although the director of BIRN for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denis Džidić, announced the beginning of a re-verification of the data listed on the map of far-right organizations and religious extremist groups in the Western Balkans, the names of targeted journalists and civil activists from Montenegro have not been removed from the updated map.

Instead of withdrawing the map until the repeated internal fact-checking or external review process is completed, this research network has supplemented the map with new controversial data. Although the names of Pobjeda journalist Kaćuša Krsmanović and civil activist Tijana Lopičić have been removed from the list of key figures associated with the informal feminist group Bogougodnice, which is labeled as a religious extremist organization, they are still mentioned in the summary, i.e., the explanation related to the activities of the mentioned group. A series of intentionally placed misformulations attempts to justify the connection of Bogougodnice with religious extremism.

Their performances were not, as stated by BIRN researchers from Montenegro, directed against the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro and Metropolitan Joanikije, but against the harmful activities of this organization and Joanikije's chauvinistic messages, such as those that Montenegro is a small Ukraine and that it should be cleansed of Ustašism.

The European Parliament has also confirmed that the Serbian Orthodox Church is a factor causing divisions in the Western Balkans, and messages about its role in destabilizing Montenegrin society have repeatedly come from relevant international addresses, especially before and after the signing of the so-called fundamental agreement.

BIRN clearly ignores this data, attempting to justify the clerical-nationalist activities of its clergy and followers with an affirmative attitude towards the SOC, including those who are active participants in the Montenegrin political scene and who openly cherish and promote Serbian nationalism in its most radical form.

One of the examples of religious extremism of Bogougodnice is also cited as participation in a protest against the screening of Boris Malagurski's film, while BIRN researchers do not mention protests held in several countries, which called for a ban on the film's screening, nor the reasons why it was banned and labeled as controversial content.

We will provide another example of incorrect information, which relates to the organization of a protest against abortion, held in front of the RTCG building, during which a banner reading "Let's abort Svetosavlje, let's give birth to freedom" was displayed.
The protest was not organized by Bogougodnice, nor was the reason the fight against abortion, but the decision of the public service editorial office to allow an SOC priest to speak about the ban on abortion in one of their shows and the right of the church to decide on a woman's right to abortion and determine what is hers in a woman's body and what is not.

The names Tanja Knežević Perišić, Tanja Pavićević, Maja Miličković, Aleksandar Saša Zeković, Predrag Peđa Vušurović, Nebojša Mrvaljević, and Draško Martinović are still on the map.

Pobjeda journalist Tanja Pavićević, who is listed on BIRN's map as one of the key members of Bogougodnice, tells Patria that she expected the promises made by the editors to be fulfilled.

"I expected that when the external review, which they promised at the beginning of this whole bizarre situation and major scandal, was completed, they would hold a press conference, publicly apologize, and of course, withdraw the map for Montenegro. Instead, they proved to be accomplices. Both by their behavior and the content of the new summaries accompanying the hit list," Pavićević stated.

Commenting on the supplemented explanations, Pavićević states that they managed to create a worse version than the previous one.

"There is a saying in Montenegro: 'A mother does not curse her son for gambling, but for trying to get out of it.' Well, this is that situation. The first version of the summary was terrible, above all, the text was poorly written, at first glance it was clear that it was a pile of haphazard paragraphs, illogical and disconnected within and between themselves. Events, participants, organizations were mixed up. Ultimately, and most importantly, the author excluded context, and thanks to that, critics of the government - civil activists and journalists were presented as extremists. The second version managed to be worse. Why? Because it is written better and more clearly, with multi-layered manipulations and lies, and with a clear message - the Serbian Orthodox Church and its partners in the form of pro-Serbian oriented parties and the URA civic movement must not be criticized," emphasizes Pavićević.

Every paragraph, she adds, deserves a separate analysis.

"Because each one shows the same thing - ignorance of concepts and thus not recognizing their bearers. But in addition to radiating ignorance, the text also indicates bad intentions," says Pavićević.

Targeted journalists and activists have contacted the BIRN editorial office several times, demanding the removal of their names from the map, but they have not received a response. Pavićević points out that she will seek a legal epilogue and that there is no reason to contact BIRN officials again.

"The leaders of BIRN have said it all with this supplemented summary. I see no reason to contact them further. We will see each other in court," Pavićević said.

Supplemented List

In addition to the previously mentioned Bogougodnice and the Patriotic Committee Alliance, the list of right-wing organizations has been expanded to include the Forum of Free Citizens Luča, Lovćenske straže, and the Civil Initiative 21 May.

The fan group Ultra Crna Gora was also included on the map, consisting of precisely those fans who, together with fans from Bosnia and Herzegovina, sent the most beautiful messages of love, brotherhood, and friendship from matches in Podgorica and Zenica, and from matches in the region and around the world, singing equally loudly "Montenegro, I love you" and "Bosnom behar probeharao" (Bosnia bloomed), as well as the anthems of the two countries. Cheese pie, buying a van for Bosnian fans, welcoming Montenegrin fans in Zenica, all the wonderful images we saw during those days are, apparently, a symbol of nationalism for BIRN.

Also, through the supplemented explanations, the daily newspaper Pobjeda is targeted, in the part related to Bogougodnice, where it is stated that Kaćuša Krsmanović and Tanja Pavićević are journalists of the "pro-Đukanović newspaper".
Our interlocutor says that the expansion of the list was done very clumsily.

"In the section 'link with other organizations', the Civil Initiative 21 May, Forum of Free Citizens Luča, Patriotic Committee Alliance, Lovćenske straže, and the fan group Ultra Crna Gora are listed. Pobjeda is mentioned in the summary. According to BIRN's logic, organizations that together have several thousand people are listed here. And if they continue to expand, it will be a list with more than half the population of a country," states Pavićević.

She adds that BIRN's donors have already been informed about the black propaganda being carried out through their platform.

"We will write to more important addresses in the coming days. A lawsuit should be filed next week," concludes Pavićević.

Despite numerous reactions and appeals from the Montenegrin and regional public, the BIRN editorial office continues to avoid answering specific media questions.

No explanations have been provided regarding the methodology used, the definitions based on which individuals on the list were categorized into specific groups, nor the sources of the obtained data. We heard the highly questionable thesis that BIRN engages in investigative journalism, and that in its research, it does not use scientific methods used when writing scientific papers. The fact that a credible research network justifies a host of errors and inaccurate information that abounds in this research in this way is concerning. The categories highlighted on the map cannot be classified as investigative journalism, and for any individual to be classified into one of them, precise definitions and clearly defined scientific and research methods must be used.

The research team did not even adhere to the basic techniques of investigative journalism to which they refer, which are based on unambiguous verification of all facts, their undisputed establishment before publication, and respect for professional and ethical standards.

It is also unknown what subsequent methodology led to the new data. The public has the right to believe that a hybrid war is being waged and that the research is politically instructed, as there are no adequate arguments to convince the public otherwise. Also, considering all the inaccuracies and contradictory information, the credibility of not only the part related to Montenegro, but also other parts of the research, is called into question. By insisting on proving the thesis about the existence of nationalism within the Montenegrin national corpus, and equating it with Serbian nationalism, BIRN encourages the continuation of the spread of dangerous narratives and the strengthening of clerical-nationalist currents in Montenegro.

The fact that their data is already being used for propaganda and daily political purposes is shown by the statement of one of the leaders of the Europe Now movement, Jakov Milatović, who a few days ago stated that there is no need to consider objections to the election process in Podgorica, because it was filed by an extremist, referring to Maja Miličković, whose name is listed on the interactive map.

The consequences for the personal and professional integrity of the targeted individuals who have selflessly fought for a civic, anti-fascist, and secular Montenegro, a country of all religions and nations, for years, cannot be fully remedied, but the removal of the map and a public apology could have prevented further damage to their reputation and the continuation of public labeling. The lack of reaction clearly indicates that the list will continue to expand, and that all citizens who fight for the preservation of the civic and secular character of the state and who have the courage to say so publicly, without fear of consequences, may find themselves on it.