Mayor Budva Nikola Jovanović was attacked on Friday near the Slovenska plaža hotel, it says RTCG.
The attack took place immediately after Jovanović was a guest on the TVCG show, and according to the first information, in the attack in which several people participated, Jovanović suffered serious physical injuries.
Jovanović told the police this morning that he was attacked by brothers Jovo and Vidak Mitrović and two other people.
Vidak is an official of the New Serbian Democracy (NSD) Budva and a member of the Board of Directors of Morski Dobr.
Jovo Mitrović, suspected of the attack, was arrested, it was confirmed for Vijesti unofficially.
Jovo will be brought to the Kotor prosecutor tomorrow with a criminal complaint. Jovo Mitrović is suspected of punching Jovanović in a restaurant near the city swimming pool today. The suspect is listed as a Security Person of Interest (BIL).
Jovanovic was found to have serious physical injuries and was kept in the Clinical Center, "Vijesti" confirmed.
"Black Three" by Andrija Mandić
The political group "Budva nas grad" condemned the attack on Jovanović with indignation and deep concern.
It was stated that Jovanović was in the company of Budva councilor Srđan Pribilović, and that "he was brutally physically attacked by the 'black trio'" of the President of the Parliament of Montenegro and the leader of the New Serbian Democracy Andrija Mandić.
According to the "Budva our city" group, the "black trio" consisted of "Vidak Mitrović, Jovo Mitrović and Bato Mitrović with the tactical support of scout Željko Zejak".
"This cowardly act of violence, motivated solely by political reasons, represents an attack not only on our president, but also on the foundations of democracy, freedom of expression and political activity in our city," the statement of the "Budva our city" group stated.
They called on the competent state authorities to urgently take all legal measures, identify and prosecute the perpetrators and punish them in accordance with the law.
Opposition accusations dismissed
The New Serbian Democracy (NSD) strongly condemned the attack on Jovanović and rejected the accusations of the opposition.
That party rejected the accusations coming "from certain members of the opposition, regarding the alleged involvement of their party in this event."
"We reject with indignation the allegations that appear in certain media and that can be heard from the mouths of ill-intentioned MPs from the ranks of the opposition, who are trying to impute the involvement of our party in this event. Such an attempt to collect cheap political points is below any level, not only political, but also human," said the NSD.
Prime Minister Spajić: Authorities to react urgently
The Prime Minister of Montenegro, Milojko Spajić, strongly condemned the attack on Jovanovic, saying that he expects an immediate reaction from the competent institutions.
"These are situations in which we must forget political differences and do everything to finally create a society where problems are solved through dialogue, not violence," the prime minister wrote on the X network.
President Milatović: Urgently shed light on the attack
The President of Montenegro, Jakov Milatović, strongly condemned the attack on Jovanovic and called on the competent authorities to urgently shed light on the case.
"I was deeply concerned by the news that the President of the Municipality of Budva, Nikola Jovanović, was physically attacked this morning. I strongly condemn any form of violence and expect the competent authorities to urgently shed light on this case and bring the perpetrators to justice," wrote Milatović on the X social network.
He pointed out that no one is allowed to threaten the democratic order and security of any citizen of Montenegro with violence.
"Violence cannot and must not be a normal phenomenon in a country where laws apply equally to everyone. There are no exceptions, there are no protected ones," said Milatović.
DPS: NSD targets Jovanović
The infliction of severe bodily injuries on Jovanović is a consequence of the climate created both in the state and local parliaments by those who still do not accept the fact that they are Budva's political past, announced the Budva branch of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS).
"The new Serbian democracy is continuously drawing a target for Jovanović, so in light of the threats he was exposed to just a few months ago from criminal structures, which are well known in Budva in whose name and on whose account they are acting, it is clear that this morning's brutal attack was not an incident," DPS announced.
PES: Do not use the attack for daily political purposes
Darko Dragović from the Europe Now Movement (PES) condemned the attack on Jovanović, saying that the attack was being misused for daily political purposes.
"I condemn this brutal attack and encourage the prosecution to bring this situation to light. Only the prosecution can remove the political stain from anyone, because we see that this brutal attack is being misused for daily political purposes," said Dragović.
