Zirojević: We will initiate a parliamentary hearing regarding the allegations of fugitive prosecutor Mitrović
We will launch an initiative for a parliamentary oversight hearing regarding the allegations contained in the letter of fugitive special prosecutor Lidija Mitrović before the Parliamentary Committee on Political System, Judiciary and Public Administration, said Social Democrats MP Nikola Zirojević.
As he specified during a press conference, they will propose hearings for Minister of Justice Bojan Božović, Chief Special Prosecutor Vladimir Novović, and President of the Supreme Court Valentina Pavličić.
Zirojević stated that if any of the allegations from Mitrović’s letter prove to be true, then, in his opinion, Novović must urgently address the issue of accountability within his own prosecution office, and the same must be done within the judicial branch.
- Given that the verdict against Mitrović is final, we believe there is absolutely no obstacle for representatives of these institutions to attend the oversight hearing and provide the necessary answers, so that we can hear the other side of the story. So far, we have only heard one side, that of fugitive prosecutor Mitrović, while state institutions have provided very limited information regarding a case that has already resulted in a final court ruling - Zirojević stated.
He recalled that Mitrović was sentenced to seven months in prison for the continued criminal offense of abuse of office, and that after she fled when she was supposed to report to serve her prison sentence, her letter was published in which she claimed she was innocent.
- It seemed somewhat strange to me that someone sentenced to seven months in prison would choose such a course of action. Had she reported to the Administration for the Execution of Criminal Sanctions, it seems to me that Lidija Mitrović would already be free by now. In the letter, she stated that she had been unjustly convicted in a rigged trial and made serious accusations against the Chief Special Prosecutor, the special prosecutor, expert witnesses, the presiding judge, and another panel of the Court of Appeals. At the end of last month, which is unprecedented in Montenegro’s history, Mitrović even filed a criminal complaint while on the run - Zirojević recalled.
He emphasized that they have no intention of defending anyone who is unavailable to state authorities or refuses to serve a sentence imposed by a court decision, regardless of anyone’s personal opinion of that sentence.
However, considering the numerous controversies surrounding the case, and because they possess documents indicating potential abuses in the judicial proceedings, they decided to initiate the request for an oversight hearing.
Zirojević expressed his expectation that all MPs would support the initiative.
- I see no reason why representatives of the institutions would refuse to attend - he said.
Asked what kind of documentation they had obtained, he replied that it concerns the financial aspect of the investigation.
- These are documents showing that certain tax amounts were manipulated in order to exceed the threshold of 10,000 euros. Different procedures apply to such amounts. Mitrović had determined that the amounts were lower. Based on the information we have access to, certain abuses occurred regarding financial statements, in the sense that some invoices were recorded for amounts that were never actually realized - Zirojević stated.