Vesna Moštrokol, Presiding Judge in the „State Coup“ case, resigns

The Judicial Council today acknowledged the termination of the judicial office of Vesna Moštrokol, a judge of the Court of Appeal of Montenegro. As stated in the announcement by the Judicial Council, this was done at her personal request.

Moštrokol presided over the panel of judges of the Court of Appeal tasked with rendering a decision in the „State Coup“ case following an appeal filed by the Special State Prosecutor’s Office (SSPO).

In addition to Moštrokol, the panel consisted of the rapporteur, Judge Zorica Milanović, and panel member Judge Predrag Tabaš.

Earlier, the SSPO had proposed in its appeal that the first-instance judgment of the High Court in Podgorica in this case be upheld.

A special panel of the High Court in Podgorica, presided over by Judge Zoran Radović, delivered a judgment on 12 July 2024, acquitting all defendants of the criminal offences of forming a criminal organization, attempted terrorism, and attempted terrorism by incitement. The charges alleged that on the day of the parliamentary elections, 16 October 2016, the defendants intended, through the use of violence and an armed incursion, to enter the Parliament of Montenegro and proclaim the victory of the Democratic Front.

Towards the very end of 2025, a session of the Court of Appeal was held regarding the appeal filed by the Special State Prosecutor’s Office against this decision of the High Court.

At that session, the judgment was read out acquitting the leaders of the former political alliance Democratic Front, Milan Knežević and Andrija Mandić, former commander of the Serbian Gendarmerie Bratislav Dikić, and ten other individuals of charges related to an attempted terrorist attack on the day of the parliamentary elections on 16 October 2016.

The panel at that session, held on 23 December 2025, was presided over by Judge Moštrokol.