Čađenović: The EUROPOL report did not reach the media while Katnić and I were at the SSPO, why has it never been established who leaked it?

The operational report received from EUROPOL was published by the media on 3 May 2022, at a time when Milivoje Katnić was no longer the Chief Special Prosecutor, nor was I his deputy. By then, the report was no longer in my possession but had been transferred to the archives. It should be determined which officials, couriers, members of the office of Chief Special Prosecutor Vladimir Novović, and other individuals had access to it - suspended prosecutor Saša Čađenović, who is accused of abusing his official position in favour of the Kavač organised crime group, told the High Court in Podgorica today. 

Also standing trial are former senior police official Zoran Lazović and retired Chief Special Prosecutor Milivoje Katnić. All three defendants have denied the prosecution's allegations that they acted in the interests of any criminal organisation, insisting that they performed their duties in accordance with the law. In support of their defence, they pointed to the number of members of the Kavač clan who were prosecuted and the indictments filed against them.

The trial continued today with the presentation of written evidence before a panel presided over by Judge Veljko Radovanović. Čađenović reiterated that it made no logical sense to claim that he had attempted to conceal the EUROPOL report or protect anyone. He explained that the operational EUROPOL report was, in fact, a summary concerning police officer Petar Lazović and suspended police officer Ljubo Milović.

- How could I have wanted to protect someone and then go and leak the report to the media? That is contrary to common sense - Čađenović said.

He acknowledged that he had received the EUROPOL operational report - described as an intelligence package - by email.

- There were no secrets and no conspiracy. It is completely untrue that I concealed anything because criminal case files were opened - Čađenović said.

He further noted that a French court had requested that the Montenegrin authorities investigate how the report had reached the media, given that it was intended solely for investigative purposes. However, he said, it has never been established how the document was leaked.

- The letter from the French court contains two undisputed facts. First, the court does not even suggest that I could have been the person who leaked the report to the media. Second, the report of the current Chief Special Prosecutor does not explain how the document became public - the suspended prosecutor said.

Čađenović repeated that the EUROPOL report was not evidence and could not be used to verify or prove anything.

- The Special State Prosecutor's Office should answer who leaked this report to the media and why. It certainly was not me, and no one leaked the report before May 2022. Yet I am being blamed for it. I could not possibly have had any interest in its publication. Let it be established who did - Čađenović said.

He recalled that he had attended a meeting at EUROPOL together with two police officers and that all three had passed security checks confirming they had no links to any criminal organisation.

Defendant Milivoje Katnić argued that the interest of the new leadership was to portray both him and Čađenović as having failed to prosecute Radoje Zvicer, suggesting they had concealed the report because it mentioned prominent members of the criminal organisation.

- I have never concealed anything in my life, including this report. They should also determine when the report was removed from the website where it had been published, after I disclosed certain details during the main hearing - Katnić said.

During today's hearing, the court also read a document from the Sector for Combating Serious Crime, stating that Petar Lazović „had no authority to maintain contacts with members of criminal groups“.

Defence lawyer Nikola Martinović argued that it was nevertheless clear that Petar Lazović had been supplying information.

- The document signed by Dejan Knežević, Acting Assistant Director of the Police Administration, states that Petar Lazović and Ljubo Milović had no official authority to maintain such communications, but it relies on information obtained from the current police management. Another document states that only members of the former management can provide information regarding Petar Lazović's activities - Martinović said.

Prosecutor Miloš Šoškić stated that, according to a report dated 25 May 2021, investigators were already aware of the PIN used by Radoje Zvicer.

Following that, Zoran Piperović, one of the defence lawyers representing Zoran Lazović, pointed out that his client had left the police service on 1 March 2021, meaning he could not have been aware of that report.

The trial is scheduled to continue tomorrow with the presentation of additional written evidence.