Stankovic also said his work was being undermined and that he was facing obstacles both within the prosecutor’s office and outside of it.
He said that the work of each prosecutor‘s office was controlled last year.
“Prosecutors who carried out the control did not register irregularities then, but that does not mean that I am satisfied with the work of all prosecutors. I am not able to personally control each prosecutor’s office, which is why I am committed to apply my statutory powers in the future in order to review the work of certain state prosecutors. I am aware that the fact I was appointed as the supreme state prosecutor has not been generally supported. I have not expected the support, because we are a society which hardly accepts changes in the work system. That is why I face undermining within the supreme state prosecutor’s office as well. However, it will not stop me. I am committed to make the state prosecutor’s office an institution recognised only by consistent application of the Constitution and the law. I am also committed to deal in an appropriate way with those who oppose it, whether they are inside or outside the prosecutor’s office”, Stankovic said.
He said that the unsolved murders represented of one of the priorities in the prosecutors’ work.
“This is why I have recently required senior managers of state prosecutor’s offices in Podgorica and Bijelo Polje to intensify their work on resolving these crimes. They will be particularly focused on the possible connection among certain murders that occurred in Podgorica, Budva and Kotor”, Stankovic said.
Commenting on the war crimes issue, Stankovic reminded that last year the state prosecutor’s office had adopted a war crimes investigation strategy.
“This document defines two targets. One relates to the identification of events which there is a possibility that Montenegrin were involved in as potential suspects. The second objective is to identify Montenegrin citizens who might have participated in paramilitary groups that were active during the war. In addition to new cases, this document stipulates a review of old cases related to war crimes. I have to emphasise that the strategy implementation has already produced concrete results. It has been established that there are two Montenegrin citizens among suspects in two cases launched by the prosecutor’s office in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Therefore, we are trying to arrange transferring those cases to Montenegrin prosecutor’s office. Also, collecting data related to an investigation against a person due to the criminal offense war crimes against the civilian population is ongoing as requested by the Bosnian prosecutor’s office. We also cooperate with the Prosecutor’s Office for War Crimes of the Republic of Serbia, which transferred to us the prosecution against a Montenegrin citizen for the criminal offense war crimes against the civilian population. This case is in the phase of analysis of submitted evidence and information”, Stankovic explained.
He also commented on the statement by the special prosecutor Milivoje Katnic who recently stated that there was a special war waged against him and prosecutor’s office.
“The special prosecutor himself explained that his statement referred to those who were trying to prevent prosecutors from dealing with them. However, they will not succeed in that. I will not use the same words, but unfortunately, as I previously said, I face obstacles both within the prosecutor’s office and outside of it. This is why certain things do develop as envisaged. But such problems will be stopped”, Stankovic said.
