On the verge of conflict: Insults at Administrative Committee sitting

The Administrative Committee’s sitting chaired by Luigj Shkrelja was interrupted briefly when security guards entered the room because of a quarrel between DF and DPS MPs. The committee is supposed to decide on lifting DF leader Nebojsa Medojevic parliamentary immunity.

DF MP Milan Knezevic and DPS MP Milorad Vuletic had a fierce quarrel, all but physical conflict. They exchanged harsh words and insults. At one point Knezevic called Vuletic to go out and fight.

Committee chairman Luigj Skrelja intended to terminate the session, but it did not happen because the security guards intervened.

CdM journalist reports that the committee members were on the verge of conflict because DF MPs were publicly insulting special state prosecutor Milivoje Katnic and interrupting other MPs while speaking. At one point Knezevic called Shkrelja “mouse”. DF MP Slaven Radunovic called DPS MPs scum and bastards.

After the incident, Vuletic said that he expected to be protected.

“I do not know why there is so much drama about lifting an MP’s immunity. Dialogue was endangered in this Parliament. I never thought I would have to fight with my colleagues, but it seems that I have. I’ve never caused an incident. I’ve just defended myself,” said Vuletic.

New Serb Democracy (NOVA) leader Andrija Mandic said that they were risking a lot by the decision to lift Medojevic’s immunity.

“We have come not to break the boycott, but for self-defence. Today, life of our MP is endangered, as well as his rights and freedoms. Katnic, as a servant of the regime, wants to imprison one of 39 opposition MPs in order to avoid new parliamentary majority. Once there was Sekula Drljevic in Montenegro, today it is Milivoje Katnic. You are the servants of Milo Djukanovic’s regime,” said Mandic.

Shkrelja said he respected Mandic, but that he “did not respect his opinion and he could not call him a servant”. Shkrelja added it was not the first time that MP Mandic was threatening, but that MPs would do their job without fear.

DF presidency member Predrag Bulatovic said he would certainly not look calmly at what Milivoje Katnic was doing.

The chief special prosecutor Milivoje Katnic requested stripping the Movement for Changes (PzP) leader of his immunity in order to initiate criminal proceedings against him and to remand him in custody.

The Special Prosecutor’s Office (SDT) suspects that Medojevic, together with Momir Nikolic, an entrepreneur from Bosnia-Herzegovina, organised a criminal group aimed at money laundering.

They allegedly created a criminal plan to put the money Nikolic had illegally gained into legal flows. Nikolic allegedly earned money through the construction work as an entrepreneur of the Tivat-based Graditelj company “by failing to report these funds as income to the competent authorities and thus avoiding the payment of legal obligations”.

In addition, Medojevic and Nikolic are suspected of creating a plan to put the money gained through illegal exchange of foreign currencies and money obtained for illegal financing of certain political parties into legal flows.

“Nebojsa Medojevic was in charge of recruiting members of the criminal organisation among citizens and persons close to the political entities who would perform banking activities without authorisation by exchanging US dollars for euros in order for putting the money into legal flows; arranging delivery of the money that comes from illegal activities to other members of the criminal organisation and citizens woo would pay that money as donations to political entities’ bank accounts; instructing members of criminal organisation and the accused Momir Nikolic how to testify in case of being revealed as a criminal organisation and advising them what to tell the competent state authorities, in order to avoid criminal prosecution; planning and executing new forms of illicit putting money obtained through criminal activities in the legal flows,” SDT’s order says.

Democratic Front (DF) previously announced that it would organise a protest in front of the Parliament building during the Administrative Committee’s sitting regarding lifting of Medojevic’s immunity.