Podgorica, (MINA) – The Special State Prosecutor’s Office (SDT) and its head neither attempted nor had the intention of influencing any judge in their decision-making, said the SDT in response to the open letter by fugitive former special prosecutor Lidija Mitrovic.

In her open letter, Mitrovic said that she decided not to serve her seven-month prison sentence because, as she claimed, she was unfairly accused and convicted in a staged malicious trial.

The SDT stated in their reaction that Mitrovic’s claims are untrue in the part regarding the work of the prosecution and the actions of Chief Special Prosecutor Vladimir Novovic.

The SDT said that two criminal complaints against former Minister of Defense Olivera Injac were assigned to the now convicted former special prosecutor, who “made numerous violations of the law in handling the case and drafting the decisions”, which is why the Chief Special Prosecutor issued her written instructions on how to proceed in the case.

They explain that Mitrovic prepared two draft decisions: a draft direct indictment against the former Minister of Defense, and a draft dismissal of the criminal complaint, where it was determined that the indictment draft was based on incorrect application of the law and other regulations, as well as incorrectly and incompletely established factual situation, which is why the Chief Special Prosecutor again issued written instructions on handling the specific case.

The SDT added that Mirovic did not complete her work on the case before she was removed from duty following the initiation of criminal proceedings against her, by a decision of the Prosecutorial Council.

They rejected as false the allegations about Novovic’s influence on the judge of Podgorica High Court Nenad Vujanovic.

The SDT also denied allegations of a friendly relationship between the Chief Special Prosecutor and the judge Vujanovic.

“In this regard, and contrary to the claims made in the open letter by the convicted, the SDT was not satisfied with the decision made by judge Vujanovic, which found the former special prosecutor guilty and sentenced her to seven months in prison”, the SDT stressed in the press release.