The Executive Director of Human Rights Action (HRA), Tea Gorjanc Prelević, submitted today a complaint to the PRESS portal’s ombudsman, Srđan Ružić, due to multiple violations of the Code of Journalists of Montenegro in an article published on that portal on August 25, under the headline “Husband of Tea Gorjanc Prelević developed a construction business with the guarantor nephew of Milo Đukanović”.

The editor-in-chief of the PRESS portal is Ranko Miljanić, while it is widely believed that the true owner of this portal, which is close to the authorities, is in fact Vladimir Otašević, the executive director of RTV Podgorica.

The complaint states that when publishing the disputed text, the PRESS portal did not care about the truth, but solely about discrediting the human rights activist in order to assist the authorities in their campaign against her.

It is emphasized that the article published false and incomplete information, maliciously presented, despite the fact that accurate and complete information was publicly available.

The text also maliciously alleged that Gorjanc-Prelević supports her husband’s supposedly suspicious business activities, although PRESS had not contacted either of them beforehand.

Through her complaint, Gorjanc-Prelević demanded a public apology and the removal of the disputed article, which represents a textbook example of violating journalistic ethics in the service of the authorities.

However, given that the ombudsman of the PRESS portal, Srđan Ružić, personally published on that portal the statement “LUPA: Investigative journalists are doing their job, the multi-million business of Tea Gorjanc Prelević’s husband is a legitimate topic”, in which he already praised the disputed text as “a professionally handled legitimate topic”, it is possible that his conflict of interest will prevent him from responding to the complaint in accordance with ethics.

This is especially so because Ružić initially published the praise of the disputed text on behalf of the NGO “Lupa” without a signature, only adding his name after Lupa’s executive director and editor-in-chief, Jovo Martinović, denied having authored the statement.

Although PRESS did not publish Martinović’s denial, proof that it was sent has been attached to the complaint.

HRA has for years strongly advocated for strengthening respect for journalistic ethics in Montenegro and for media self-regulation, and therefore is also publishing the complaint of its executive director in support of that effort and in order to prevent further fraudulent smearing of individuals for the benefit of the ruling parties.

HRA believes that the PRESS portal, which is close to the Montenegrin Government and presents itself as a “professional and responsible portal,” must now demonstrate that it upholds journalistic ethics and credible self-regulation.

A complaint is available here.