So, here’s the deal with the Montenegrin justice system. There’s a major issue with inconsistent court rulings that are letting drug dealers go free. Take the case of two guys one from Podgorica and one from Pljevlja who were caught selling drugs and sentenced to two and a half years in prison. But then, the Appeal Court set them free, all because one little word was missing from the judgment: “without permission.”
The Supreme Court recently ruled that the Appeal Court’s decision was illegal, but here’s the kicker they can’t change the ruling because it would hurt the defendants. So, even though it was clear they broke the law, they won’t serve time in prison.
It gets worse when you look at Milan Mihailović, a repeat offender from Podgorica, who was caught selling cocaine. He was sentenced last year by the Higher Court, but the Appeal Court freed him because of that same missing word. According to the judges, the law requires that it must be stated that drug dealing is “without permission” for it to count as a crime. The Supreme Court agreed that it was a mistake, but again, they can’t change the ruling because it’s already final.
This isn’t an isolated case either. Another guy, Irfan Kriještorac from Pljevlja, was also let off the hook for selling drugs due to the same issue missing the word “without permission” in the ruling.
The most worrying part is how these cases contribute to the public losing trust in the justice system. When people see that criminals are walking free over a technicality, it’s hard to believe in the fairness of the system. It’s clear that the law needs to be more consistent and that these kinds of loopholes shouldn’t let people off the hook for serious crimes. If the courts want to restore public confidence, they need to start treating these cases with more care.
From my perspective, it’s pretty disheartening to see how easily the system can be gamed due to minor technicalities. While I get that the law has to be precise, it feels like justice is being undermined when such small details lead to criminals walking free. In cases involving serious crimes like drug dealing, it should be about the bigger picture ensuring that those who break the law face consequences. This situation makes me wonder whether the system is prioritizing legal technicalities over fairness, and how much damage that does to public trust in justice. It seems like the system needs a serious overhaul to avoid these loopholes from letting people slip through the cracks.
Written by our correspondent A.A.
