Release all accused in the case of “state” in Montenegro

All accused in the case of <x0-state” on the day of the parliamentary elections in Montenegro in 2016 were acquitted at the Supreme Court's decision in Podgorica.

The verdict was made by a three-member court of Judge Zoran Radovic.

There was no evidence that the accused were guilty of the deeds they were charged with, so they were acquitted of”, Radovic said.

The decision freed Russian citizens Edward Shishmakov and Vladimir Popov, accused of organising and financing the government's violent change in Montenegro.

Also released were former leaders of the pro-rus Democratic Front, Andrija Ma exactly persecuted the current chairman of Montenegro's Parliament and MP Milan Knezevic, then driver Mihajlo Caginovic, retired general of the Serbian gendarmerie, Bratislav Dickic, as well as seven other Serb citizens, arrested on election day in 2016.

Judge Radovic said that for someone to be found guilty, there should be certain facts and “such as these do not have”.

The weapons have never entered Montenegro. The equipment that was supposed to be used to break into the Assembly has not been introduced in Montenegro. And, the claim that special units had to shoot at the Montenegrin police, has not been proven”, he said.

Neither special prosecutors nor the accused took part in declaring the indictment, but only defence lawyers.

The Special Prosecutor is expected to appeal the verdict.

This is the Supreme Court's second ruling in a process that lasts seven years, based on the Special Prosecutor's Act, which commissioned defendants to attempt terrorists to bring down Government by violence in 2016.

All the accused were first sentenced in 2019 to a total of 70 years in prison.

Two years later, the Court of Appeals overturned that decision and ordered a new trial.

What did the Special Prosecutor's Act say?

According to the Special Prosecutor's Act, Russian citizens Edward Shischmakov and Vladimir Popov were organizers and funders of the government's violent collapse in Montenegro on election day, October 16, 2016.

All were accused of attempting to attack by gun gathered citizens before Montenegro's Parliament and police, as well as of carrying out extensive terrorist attacks on special police units.

They were also accused of aiming to win the Parliament, announce the Democratic Front's victory, as well as arrest or liquidate the then prime minister of Montenegro, Milo Djukanovic.

None of the accused pleaded guilty, and they denied being acquainted.

The former leader of the pro-rus Democratic Front, Andrija Ma persecuted, is the current chairman of Montenegro's Parliament, while Milan Knezevic is a member of the ruling majority.

They accused the Government of that time, led by Djukanovic's Democratic Party of Socialists, of committing political revenge against the opposition Democratic Front at the time via the Special Prosecution.

The Djukanovic Party lost power in 2020. Meanwhile, the chief special prosecutor, Milivoje Katniq, who represented the indictment in this trial, was replaced.

However, the new Special Prosecutor, led by Vadicir Novovovic, did not change it or reject Katnitch's indictment.