N12.T4 – Vesna Medenica Prohibited from Leaving Home Due to Court Absences, U.S. Places Her on Blacklist
HRA NEWSLETTER 12 – TOPIC 4
Once again, there was a delay in the proceedings in the case before the High Court in Podgorica against former Supreme Court President Vesna Medenica and other defendants, in which her son Miloš has been identified as the organizer of a criminal group.
On September 1, Medenica did not appear in court as she was hospitalized in Risan.
Judge Vesna Kovačević rescheduled the hearing for the following day, but Medenica again failed to appear. At that time, medical expert Miodrag Šoć informed the court panel that she was legitimately receiving hospital treatment in Risan for spinal problems. Despite this, Special State Prosecutor Vukas Radonjić requested the court to place the former head of Montenegro’s judiciary on remand.
On September 3, the Special Panel of the High Court ordered Vesna Medenica to be placed under house arrest. She was prohibited from leaving her apartment in Podgorica without permission, and any violation would result in remand.
According to media reports, Judge Kovačević stated that Medenica’s absence from hearings obstructed the continuation of the trial, “with the aim of helping her son Miloš, whose remand expires on October 17,” as this marks three years since the indictment was filed without a first-instance decision.
“She was aware that hearings were scheduled for early September. Although her physiotherapy in Risan Hospital was originally scheduled for August 13, she chose to attend on August 31, which shows obstruction of the judicial process. She is delaying the trial to assist her son Miloš, the accused,” Judge Kovačević said.
Vesna Medenica’s lawyer, Zdravko Begović, rejected the judge’s allegations, stating to journalists after the hearing that his client’s health condition is very poor.
“Considering the progression of her condition and the potential need for surgical intervention, it is possible that Medenica may be confined to bed and hospital treatment in the near future. This would require postponement of scheduled main hearings, as her presence is mandatory,” Begović emphasized.
Although Judge Kovačević scheduled a new hearing for September 17, it did not take place. This time, her son Miloš joined a prisoner strike at the Detention Center and revoked his power of attorney for lawyer Stefan Jovanović.
The trial resumed on September 30, with testimony from two police officers, Draško Kalinić and Ivan Damjanović. Kalinić, who participated in Vesna Medenica’s arrest, stated that no one from the police had deleted communication applications (Signal and Telegram) from her phone, contrary to earlier claims by prosecutor Jovan Vukotić. Medenica denied touching the phone after being detained, explaining that it had remained in a bag in the room with the officers.
The witnesses also confirmed that the search of Medenica’s home was conducted lawfully, which her defense again denied.
Miloš Medenica is accused of creating a criminal organization in 2019, which included his mother and other defendants, for the purpose of cigarette smuggling and illegal influence over the judiciary, aiming to gain unlawful profit and power. The Special State Prosecutor’s Office filed charges against him, his mother, Darko Lalović, Vasilije Petrović, Bojan and Marko Popović, Marko Vučinić, Milorad Medenica, Luka Bakoč, Petar Milutinović, Ivana Kovačević, Radomir Raičević, Marjan Bevenja, Stevo Karanikić, Goran Jovanović, and the company Kopad Company for crimes including criminal organization, smuggling, giving and receiving bribes, unlawful influence, abuse of office, drug trafficking, illegal possession of weapons, causing serious bodily harm, and obstruction of evidence.
Due to Vesna Medenica’s health condition, the trial in a case concerning abuse of office against her and suspended Commercial Court Judge Milica Vlahović-Milosavljević was postponed on September 15. Medenica is accused of encouraging Vlahović-Milosavljević to make a decision in favor of her godfather Rado Arsić. This trial restarted in July.
At the September 26 hearing, medical experts Željko Golubović, Aleksandar Jušković, and Boris Đurović agreed that Vesna Medenica could follow the court proceedings after shoulder surgery. Following the expert reports, witness Željko Aprcović was heard. Their findings were read in the Higher Court in Podgorica during the continuation of the trial against Medenica and Milica Vlahović-Milosavljević before the Commercial Court judge of Montenegro.
Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department designated former Supreme Court President Vesna Medenica and former Budva Mayor Mila Božović as ineligible to enter the United States, citing “their involvement in significant corruption that enabled drug trafficking.”
“Medenica abused her public office by supporting a criminal smuggling organization—disclosing court information, influencing judicial decisions, and accepting bribes in cash and property to affect court rulings,” the State Department statement said.
Vesna Medenica served as President of the Supreme Court from 2007 until the end of 2020.
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