The day before the New Year, Marovic concluded a plea agreement with the Special State Prosecutor’s Office after several hour negotiations.
The Prosecutor’s Office accepted Marovic’s offer to serve a year in prison and pay €380,000 due to the Prijevor case.
On this occasion, Katnic explained that it was a possibility stipulated by the law and a new institution, MINA news agency carried.
“This agreement has significant benefits in terms of the duration of the proceedings and establishing justice and provides an opportunity to the prosecution to better organise evidence which it will present before the court,” Katnic said in TV show “U Raljama Zivota” (“In the Jaws of Life”).
He pointed out that the procedure was conducted against several defendants, including Milos Marovic, and that there were a number of criminal offenses that had been committed in an organised way.
Katnic explained that after Milos Marovic’s attorney had proposed plea agreement, prosecutors examined in detail whether the relevant conditions were met and found they were.
He added that Marovic’s guilty pledge was complete, which is a sign of remorse for what he had done. Katnic added that there were no aggravating circumstances against the defendant.
According to him, the agreement has not been signed yet and it included a specific prison sentence.
“We will agree on the terms of imprisonment corresponding to the offence,” Katnic explained.
He pointed out that Milos Marovic would return €385,000, which is only a part of the damage caused against the Municipality of Budva.
“I cannot talk about the prison sentence because Marovic’s attorney and Prosecutor’s Office have not signed an agreement yet,” Katnic said.
He added that the prosecution would not accept any punishment apart from imprisonment.
He reiterated that the money he would return did not represent a punishment but confiscation of illegally gained assets.
“The Prosecution considers that €385,000 is a gain illegally obtained by Milos Marovic and he must return it,” Katnic said, adding that the money shall be paid into the state budget.
Asked whether the head of the Budva-based criminal group was arrested, Katnic said that the investigation was extended to one person and that that person was charged with forming the criminal group the members of which he spoke about.
“It is clear that he has been arrested and that investigative actions against him have been ongoing,” said Katnic.
Asked if he would resign if Svetozar Marovic was released from prison, he said that he would act according to personal success.
“I did not accept the office of Chief Special Prosecutor in order to resign, but to file charges against perpetrators of criminal acts and I will act in this direction,” Katnic said.
Asked whether he will require extending custody for Svetozar Marovic, Katnic explained that this was a special measure that the court determines when it is necessary for the smooth conduct of criminal proceedings.
“When the reasons for custody are gone, we have no reasons to suggest custody or longer detention,” said Katnic.
Asked whether the prosecution would conclude a plea agreement with former president of the municipality of Budva, Lazar Radjenovic, Katnic said that the procedure was in progress.
According to him, it is a plea bargain – the defendant must plead his guilt and the prosecution must consider whether the pledge is in accordance with the established facts.
Katnic added that the Prosecutor’s Office would propose punishment on that basis.
“All unlawfully obtained property shall be returned and any damage caused must be compensated to the entity it was done against. This is a position of the Prosecutor’s Office and it will not give it up under any circumstances,” he said.
The plea agreement that Milos Marovic is to sign with the prosecution launched a public controversy that protagonists of Budva affairs would get away without major consequences, because the amount of money that they agreed to pay is too law compared to the criminal offense they were suspected of.
Lawyer Dragan Soc earlier told CdM news portal that any position on this issue was legitimate, adding that it should be borne in mind that such an agreement includes the amount of money to be paid as a fine, but not as compensation.
