Democratic Front (DF) leaders Andrija Mandic and Milan Knezevic are trying to regain their parliamentary immunity. They are under investigation on account of “creating a criminal organisation and preparing actions against the constitutional order and security, through solicitation, with the purpose of executing acts of terrorism and other criminal offences”. The immunity would protect them from further court procedures and prosecution, Dnevne Novine newspaper writes.
Mandic and Knezevic filed a complaint to the Constitutional Court referring to Parliament’s 15 February decision to lift their immunity.
As a reminder, Parliament lifted Mandic and Knezevic’s immunity upon the Special Public Prosecutor’s Office’s request after its investigation into the terrorist attempt on 16 October 2016 showed evidence suggesting possibility of their involvement.
Brajovic and Skrelja main “culprits”
In their appeal seen by DN (which was sent to all PMs), Mandic and Knezevic complain that their “constitutional right to a remedy was violated”, as well as “the right to a fair trial, guaranteed by the Constitution and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms”.
They also say that both the prosecutor and MPs violated their rights, accusing the Administrative Committee chairman Luigj Skrelja for “abusing his office” and “deliberately forging the committee’s report and the proposal” thus “severely violating Andrija Mandic and Milan Knezevic’s rights”.
In addition to Skrelja, they accuse the 28 MPs who signed the initiative for convening an extraordinary Parliament session on the Special Prosecutor’s Office’s request, as well as the Parliament Speaker Ivan Brajovic who approved the request. DF leaders believe that in their case the Parliament’s Rules of Procedure were violated and that there are elements of a crime in Skrelja and Brajovic’s deeds.
Boycotting Parliament without boycotting immunity
The Constitutional Court will decide about the DF leaders’ appeal in the coming days. As for the Montenegrin Parliament, it should submit its opinion on Mandic and Knezevic’s allegations to the Constitutional Court. After months of Parliament boycott, the DF leaders suddenly remembered that there are rules in the Parliament. On 15 February, when the decision on lifting their immunity was made, it was the last time they entered the Parliament building. Then they brutally attacked the MPs of the ruling coalition. Currently, investigation on the incident is ongoing.
Nevertheless, Mandic and Knezevic say in their complaint that all the activities “in connection with the case were done contrary to the Constitution, laws and morals”… They accuse the MPs for enabling their prosecution.
DF leaders are apparently trying to restore immunity and protect themselves against the court proceedings in the case of attempted terrorism they have been suspected of involvement in. Special state prosecutor Milivoje Katnic announced that the indictment will be brought by mid-April. For someone who has been accused of such serious crimes, it would be logical to look forward to launching the proceedings in order to remove the suspicion and prove they were not involved in the monstrous plan. Instead, Mandic and Knezevic are eager to restore their immunity.
