„Tiger“, aka Šćepanović, threatened a journalist with prosecution over a question

There seems to be no end to the troubling public appearances of the Director of the Police Directorate Lazar Šćepanović. The head of the police force, or „Tiger“, as friends and colleagues nickname him, threatened the author of the TV show „Načisto“, journalist Petar Komnenić, last night, saying he would initiate proceedings against him over a question he asked.

What is particularly concerning is that Šćepanović, speaking from the position of the country’s top police official, sets an example in this way, and possibly a future pattern of behavior for other police officers.

Šćepanović says one thing, the Minister of Justice and the Court President another

On the TV Vijesti program „Načisto“, a heated debate erupted over the escape of Miloš Medenica, between Šćepanović on one side, and Minister of Justice Bojan Božović and the President of the Podgorica High Court Zoran Radović on the other.

Šćepanović stated that violating a supervision measure such as a ban on leaving one’s residence does not constitute a criminal offense. What alarmed both those present in the studio and the wider public was the statement by the country’s top police official that Medenica would not have been arrested on the day the verdict was pronounced even if police officers had been standing in front of the building and encountered him there.

- For the sake of precision and the citizens of Montenegro, even if the police had found this person in front of the building, they could not have deprived him of liberty, because under the law the three-year detention period had expired. We would not have been able to arrest him - Šćepanović claimed.

Minister of Justice Bojan Božović asked Šćepanović whether he understood that a person commits a criminal offense by violating an obligation imposed on him.

Šćepanović, raising his voice, replied that violating a supervision measure is not a criminal offense.

Božović responded that it is.

The President of the Podgorica High Court, Radović, said that the police had the authority to prevent Medenica from leaving the apartment and to return him“.

- He could have been detained and the building secured - he added.

After that, the journalist remarked that Šćepanović was in conflict both with the minister and with the president of the Podgorica High Court, to which Radović added that the Director of the Police Directorate was „in conflict with himself“.

Šćepanović offended by the word „ficus“

The show’s author said that the information coming from the country’s top police official was alarming, because Šćepanović applies that law and will behave in the same way in such situations that he will not deprive individuals of liberty - which Šćepanović himself confirmed by interjecting - „that’s right“.

Komnenić then asked: „What do we need the police for, then, and are they just a ficus?“ given that they would not react even if the convicted Medenica had walked past them, and that, according to the police chief, they would not be allowed to detain him.

Šćepanović then demanded that the journalist apologize to the Montenegrin police for using the word „ficus“.

- After this, we will initiate proceedings against Komnenić for insulting police officers - the Director of the Police Directorate threatened.

Minister of Justice Božović attempted to calm the situation with interjections such as: „Easy, easy“.

The journalist reiterated that it was a legitimate journalistic question to ask whether the „police are a ficus in the system“ if they cannot detain a person who is violating a measure imposed by a court, and whether this means that the necessary legislative amendments have not been adopted and that a legal loophole exists allowing such situations to occur.

- Listen to the question first, and then accuse people. When you are facing a problem, do not try to get out of it by arguing - the show’s author told Šćepanović.

Minister Božović agreed with the journalist that such a question does not constitute an insult to the police, and said that he perceived what was said as part of a lively debate.