Vesna Medenica sentenced to ten years, her son to ten years and two months, the accused ordered to pay 2,736,715 euros into the state budget

Former President of the Supreme Court Vesna Medenica has been sentenced to ten years in prison, while her son Miloš Medenica has been sentenced to ten years and two months, and both are ordered to pay fines of 50.000 euros each.

The first-instance verdict was delivered by High Court Judge Vesna Kovačević.

All defendants were found guilty. Miloš Medenica, Marko Vučinić, Nikola Raičević, Petar Milutinović, Jovan Miković, Vojin Perunović, Milorad Medenica, Marjan Bevanja, Stevo Karanikić, Ivana Kovačević, and Goran Jovanović are ordered to pay 2,736,715 euros into the state budget as compensation for the damage caused.

Judge Kovačević stated that the judicial panel did not accept the indictment’s allegations that Vesna Medenica committed the criminal offence of forming a criminal organization. She was convicted of unlawful influence.

Pre-trial detention was ordered for Miloš Medenica, while Vesna Medenica was banned from leaving Kolašin and her passport was confiscated.

Marko Vučinić was sentenced to a consolidated prison term of six years and two months and fined 15.000 euros. He was also banned from leaving Podgorica and had his passport confiscated. Nikola Raičević was sentenced to eight years in prison and fined 20.000 euros.

Marko Popović was sentenced to one year in prison, Bojan Popović to six months, and Vasilije Petrović to one year. Milorad Medenica received a consolidated prison sentence of three years and two months. Luka Bakoč was sentenced to one year and four months and his detention was lifted. Radomir Raičević was sentenced to one year and four months, Darko Lalović to one year, and Petar Milutinović to three years in prison and an additional fine of 5.000 euross. Marjan Bevanja and Stevo Karanikić were each sentenced to four years, Ivana Kovačević to four and a half years and a fine of 15.000 euros, Goran Jovanović and Jovan Milović to three years and ten months each, and Vojin Perunović to two years.

According to the Special State Prosecutor's Office indictment, Miloš Medenica’s organization was created for the purpose of smuggling cigarettes and marijuana, as well as exerting unlawful influence on the adoption of court decisions.

Miloš and Vesna Medenica did not attend the pronouncement of the verdict.

The case against the Medenicas and others was initially assigned to Judge Nada Rabrenović, but over a period of one year and ten months, hearings were postponed more than 20 times. After Rabrenović went on sick leave due to health issues, the case was reassigned to Judge Vesna Kovačević, who took over the case in April 2025, and the trial started anew.

Miloš Medenica was in pre-trial detention from May 2022 until 17 October 2025, when it was lifted and replaced with house arrest. He was released from the Remand Prison because no first-instance verdict had been delivered within three years.

In their closing arguments, prosecutors Jovan Vukotić and Vukas Radonjić emphasized that the proceedings established that Miloš Medenica formed a criminal group and that his mother Vesna Medenica, former head of the judiciary, was not „an ordinary member but an institutional shield of the criminal organization“. They believe that the guilt of the other sixteen members was also proven. Prosecutor Radonjić requested that Vesna and Miloš Medenica each be sentenced to 20 years in prison and fined 100.000 euros each.

On the other hand, the defense categorically maintained that the guilt of their clients was not proven by any evidence.

In her closing statement, Vesna Medenica said: „Vesna will never talk. It is known whose Vesna is, and perhaps they thought that by proposing 20 years in prison I would“.

- That will not happen. I will leave with a clean conscience and my head held high. I have endured three years and eight months of a difficult life. I am finishing the first half of my life. I devoted my life to my family, my work, and my profession, and with my kindness I fed wolves - Medenica said.

She added that a second half of her life remains, in which she will defend herself with truth, not assumptions.

From the very beginning of the proceedings, she has claimed that the case against her was fabricated and constructed.