More than 30 Montenegrin NGOs and civil activists have condemned attacks by the ruling Democrats against Tea Gorjanc Prelević, Director of the Action for Human Rights (Akcija za ljudska prava).
The Democrats accused Gorjanc Prelević of obstructing “vetting” reforms in the security sector, allegedly to protect officials “who served organized crime networks.”
“If this weren’t dangerous, considering it involves a group controlling the security system, it would be simply sad,” Gorjanc Prelević responded.
The controversy revolves around the Democrats’ influence over the security sector. Deputy Prime Minister Aleksa Bečić coordinates the Bureau for Security-Intelligence Coordination, while party appointees Danilo Šaranović and Dragan Krapović lead the Ministries of Internal Affairs and Defense, respectively.
Vetting is a procedure aimed at assessing the suitability of officials for public service, though Montenegro currently lacks formal vetting legislation.
The dispute intensified around Podgorica lawyer Veselin Radulović, representing police officers suspended during vetting. Radulović claims the process is being used as a political purge against officers not aligned with the Democrats.
The party accused Radulović of receiving instructions from the Kavač and Škaljari criminal clans, a claim Gorjanc Prelević rejected, emphasizing that vetting must be impartial, evidence-based, and respect the right to defense, rather than serve the interests of any political party.
Subsequently, a local portal published a story questioning the business dealings of her husband, which Gorjanc Prelević denounced as a personal attack on her family.
Civil society organizations warned that suppressing criticism fosters authoritarianism:
“Where a political party assumes the role of judge, the rule of law ceases. Censorship, extrajudicial judgments, and attacks on critics pave the way for authoritarianism and resemble totalitarian models.”
No government party or institution has condemned the attacks. Action for Human Rights has worked for over 15 years to protect human rights in Montenegro, particularly in documenting and prosecuting war crimes and police abuse.
