N8.T2 – The Trial of Katnić, Lazović and Čađenović Has Begun – All Three Have Denied Guilt
HRA NEWSLETTER 8 – TOPIC 2
The trial of former Chief Special Prosecutor Milivoj Katnić, former Assistant Director of the Police Administration Zoran Lazović, and Special Prosecutor Saša Čađenović began on 9 May before the High Court in Podgorica.
All three stated before the court panel presided over by judge Veljko Radovanović that they were not guilty of the charges brought against them by the Special State Prosecutor’s Office, and said that they would not answer the questions of prosecutor Miloš Šoškić. On top of that, Čadjenović said that he would not answer the questions of the court either.
The Special State Prosecutor’s Office has accused Lazović and Katnić of participating in the creation of a criminal organisation and abusing their official positions by allegedly working in the interest of the Kavač criminal group. According to the indictment, Special Prosecutor Čađenović was also a member of the group.
Zoran Lazović said that he was the subject of a political process designed by “powerful persons outside of Montenegro, from the world of politics, diplomacy, business and crime”, that he had been convicted before the trial even began, and that his right to defence was provided to him only formally.
“There is no evidence in the case file that I have committed any criminal offence; there are no messages, no photographs, no audio or video recordings, no oral or written orders [showing] my actions or inactions that could link me to any of the allegations contained in the indictment” – said Lazović, as reported by Television E.
At the beginning of the trial, Milivoje Katnić accused prosecutor Šoškić of falsifying and hiding evidence.
After the hearing, the High Court in Podgorica published on its website a recording of the reading of the indictment and the pleas. This was approved by the Supreme Court of Montenegro in April, at the request of Katnić and Lazović.
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