Montenegrin Politician Vladislav Dajković Sentenced in Albania Over ‘Ancient Serbian Shkodra’ Photo
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Montenegrin politician Vladislav Dajković says he has been sentenced by an Albanian court over a photograph published six years ago in Shkodra, in which he posed with the Montenegrin tricolour flag alongside the caption: “Greetings from ancient Serbian Shkodra.”
According to statements reported by Montenegrin media, Dajković initially received a three-year prison sentence, which was subsequently reduced. He says the case concerns the alleged criminal offence of inciting national hatred and discord.
The leader of the Free Montenegro party rejects the accusations, maintaining that his post neither insulted nor threatened anyone and that he was expressing what he considers to be historical facts about Shkodra.
He has described the proceedings as politically motivated and said he intends to challenge the first-instance ruling.
Dajković refuses to surrender to Albanian authorities
Dajković has also declared that he will not voluntarily appear before Albanian authorities, claiming that he would be arrested immediately upon entering the country.
“I am certain that I would come out of that detention facility in a coffin,” he said, expressing fears about what might happen if he were taken into custody in Albania.
He has also criticised the Montenegrin authorities, accusing them of failing to provide him with adequate support during a legal process that he says has lasted approximately five years.
According to reports by Montenegro's public broadcaster RTCG, Dajković claims that the court's reasoning referred to assessments by Albanian security services concerning his political and nationalist positions. These statements are part of his account of the ruling and have not been independently verified.
A case dating back to 2024
The legal proceedings became publicly known in November 2024, when Dajković announced that he had received an indictment from Shkodra through the Montenegrin Prosecutor's Office. At that time, he said he was facing charges related to incitement to hatred over the photograph and its accompanying message.
The case has since attracted attention in Montenegro because of its historical and national sensitivities.
Dajković maintains that his publication was not a threat to Albania's territorial integrity or its citizens. He has reiterated that he will appeal the first-instance decision and will not voluntarily surrender to Albanian authorities.
The full judicial reasoning and the final outcome of the appeal will be important in establishing the precise legal grounds for the conviction and the sentence.