Ljubomir Stefanović, editor of the Serbian news portal Slavija Info, has applied for asylum in Montenegro, saying he left Serbia after police surrounded his home, according to an interview with the Montenegrin outlet Vijesti published by N1.
Stefanović said he decided not to surrender to the authorities when police arrived at his home on Saturday. He claimed that he had been subjected to more than 90 vehicle searches, most often at border crossings, and that his home had been searched twice in two years, with equipment confiscated on both occasions.
He alleged that the latest search involved particularly aggressive conduct, caused significant material damage and resulted in his house being sealed. Stefanović said he had inherited the property from his grandfather and was now uncertain about his legal right to use it.
“I decided to come to Montenegro because it is the country in the region I know best, and I believe I can find favourable conditions here, including the possibility of political asylum,” he told Vijesti.
According to Stefanović, he contacted the police in Podgorica, where he was granted permission to stay temporarily. He said authorities instructed him to remain at the address he had provided and keep his documents with him.
Stefanović also cited a criminal complaint he filed against Serbia’s Security Intelligence Agency (BIA) in 2024, alleging that he had been abducted. He claimed that the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office, which is now pursuing the case against him, previously rejected his complaint.
He further alleged that spyware had been installed on his phone during the incident and said he had obtained evidence through Amnesty International and Serbia’s SHARE Foundation. According to Stefanović, Serbian authorities dismissed the allegations as sensationalism, while he received no response to a separate complaint concerning alleged spying.
Another reason for leaving Serbia, he said, was information he claimed to have received from people in the judiciary and security sector. Stefanović alleged that ahead of the next elections, President Aleksandar Vučić could seek to silence individuals and media outlets that might challenge the announced election results. These claims have not been independently verified.
Stefanović also disputed the prosecution’s explanation for pursuing him, arguing that his actions amounted to informing the public rather than causing panic.
Serbian police are seeking Stefanović on suspicion of causing panic and disorder through social media publications, according to the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade.
The investigation concerns a post published on the Slavija Info account on X on October 16, 2026, stating that Vučić would shoot at citizens on election day. The post also included a video featuring a digitally generated depiction of Miloš Medenica, a Montenegrin fugitive.
The search warrant was issued after Stefanović could not be found at his registered address on October 17, at the request of the prosecutor’s Special Department for Combating High-Tech Crime.
Stefanović said he expects to be able to present evidence supporting his claims before a court after October 25. His application for asylum and the allegations he has made remain separate from the criminal case in Serbia.
