Written by Srđan Čović
It’s not just a matter of whether Vladimir Joković can serve three terms as head of the SNP, despite how one daily paper spun it in a headline. We’re talking about good old Joko here, the same man who generously handed out cushy jobs to his ungrateful associates across Parliament, various ministries, and even the state-owned Plantaže. And now, those same ingrates are nitpicking over technicalities in the party’s Statute, which clearly states that no one can lead the party for a third term.
Meanwhile, over at RTCG, Boris Raonić gets a free pass to do exactly that – three terms – illegally.
These people have no clue what it means to sacrifice for the public good, the rule of law, or media freedom – unlike the members of the RTCG Council, who, despite facing criminal charges and ongoing court cases, continue to support Boris Raonić with unwavering loyalty and admiration. He’s practically set a world record for illegal appointments.
Just recently, Council member Amina Murić said she was proud of their decision. According to her, the criminal complaints, the cases gathering dust in prosecutors’ offices, the lawsuits piling up in court – it’s all just one big conspiracy. A plot concocted by rival media outlets, meddling busybodies, a corrupt judiciary, and now even the European Parliament – all working to sabotage RTCG’s rise to greatness, Raonić included.
Beaming with pride and wearing a clueless grin, Amina eagerly presented inaccurate data that had been conveniently spoon-fed to her. At times, it was hard to tell whether the host was interviewing her or coddling her.
The mood was so casual that no one seemed to catch the contradiction: RTCG’s in-house production is supposedly 30% higher than it was pre-COVID. Yet, according to Raonić himself on an episode of Naglas back in March, it was up by 50% last year, which would indicate a drop. That is, of course, if anyone still takes seriously the numerical gymnastics and creative spin that Raonić and his ever-faithful Council members use to mislead the public.
If we’re to believe Amina, trust in RTCG has soared to 50%. But you’d never know that from Ipsos or RTCG’s research, where the broadcaster doesn’t even crack the top five most trusted institutions. That list is led by the Serbian Orthodox Church, enjoying 50% trust – the very same institution busy rewriting history and canonizing yet another war criminal.
Deciding Court Cases by Vote
Since Council members still see themselves as victims of dark forces, let’s clarify exactly what they did – and how badly they messed up.
Almost sheepishly, during the illegal reappointment process on June 1, 2023, RTCG’s Head of Legal and their lawyer acknowledged that once the final court ruling was issued, Raonić was no longer the Director General. That should have been the end of it. But instead, they held another sham vote, reappointing him based on the same outdated documents – essentially repeating the very act the court had just annulled.
Absurd? Absolutely. Irresponsible? No doubt. Abuse of office? Definitely.
According to RTCG’s own legal experts, Raonić ceased to be Director the moment the court’s ruling was read aloud or delivered by mail to the building.
Since they were aware of the Higher Court's decision and the “necessary procedure,” the RTCG Council members voted to annul the appointment of the Director General. Legal advisors had told Drljević’s Council to vote on the Higher Court’s decision. That meant they could either vote or avoid voting altogether by failing to secure a quorum. Perhaps this power, born from a clumsy and uninformed interpretation by Raonić’s legal team, is what made Drljević believe the court’s authority wasn’t so convincing. His logic seems to be: If I get to vote on a court ruling, then how serious can that court be?
The Council was obligated to dismiss Raonić during the session, based on Article 53 of the Law on the National Public Broadcaster, which states that the Director General must be dismissed for violating the law. If part of his job is to ensure RTCG operates within the law, and he illegally held onto the position for years, then he broke that law – even if we assume the Council appointed him spontaneously, without lobbying or political pressure from high-ranking officials interested in editorial and personnel control.
The most crucial detail is that the same article says someone dismissed for breaking the law cannot be a candidate in the next round of elections. That’s why Raonić was so reluctant to give up his position, despite active lobbying at the time to lower the eligibility criteria to just five years, allowing, under the values promoted by Čarapić and Raonić’s system of mediocrity, delayed graduates, plagiarists, and repeat-offender clerics to secure institutional roles.
If all this sounds like a tragicomic tale of institutional decay, you’re right.
If it sounds like a farce, you’re also right.
In This Context, ‘Dismissal’ Means ‘Elimination’
Yet, on RTCG’s website, under “Decision on Annulment of the Appointment of the Director General,” there is also a “Decision on Dismissal” – true, only in the subtitle, somewhat hidden until you hover over it.
If Raonić’s mandate was annulled, then all legal consequences of his “rule” vanish. This means his work experience was not legally valid, and he doesn’t qualify for a third, equally illegitimate term, won through a superficial interview process on August 31, 2024.
If he was dismissed – as he should have been – then he wasn’t even eligible to apply for the July 2024 competition.
By the way, the competition was announced after Raonić said he wanted to “relieve the burden” on RTCG (he resigned, then became acting director), quickly taking advantage of the law he helped draft – authored by Čarapić – to reclaim the position seemingly made for him.
In reality, Raonić and the Council were actively avoiding binding rulings from the Higher Court, which confirmed that his June 2023 appointment was illegal, following lawsuits filed by Marković and Čović. If the judiciary is willing to ignore such blatant disregard for its own final decisions, then the problem goes far beyond Raonić and the Council’s deceit.
The moral? If you break the law, simply annul the illegal decision just before the court’s final ruling – and then make the same decision again.
Beyond the absurdity and mockery, Raonić and the Council’s actions have caused real financial harm. One recent example is the allocation of apartments at subsidized prices and rewards given to individuals illegally hired by Raonić, who himself was illegally appointed – people who have no understanding of what the public interest means. The ranking list includes several individuals with only a few years of experience at RTCG, mostly known for tailoring programming and portal content to Raonić’s preferences and managing tenders within a carefully selected circle of suppliers, including family members.
Pride, Knowledge, Integrity, and Law
The abuse of office continues.
RTCG has become a testing ground for Montenegro’s judiciary and prosecution – a litmus test of their ability to meet European standards. Because there’s no point searching for the smoke of the ’90s if we’re blind to the fires currently burning down institutions right before us.
The possibility for improvement was also highlighted in RTCG’s program Naglas on May 5, 2025.
“The law can be perfect on paper, but if those enforcing it aren’t professional, educated, and principled, then it’s just a dead letter,” said attorney Lutovac.
If the Council members still have any pride or integrity left, they should dismiss Raonić and resign.
I trust the court will take this into account at the hearing on June 6, 2025.
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