STATE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE MONTENEGRO

How to file a criminal complaint
Filing a criminal complaint is simple. Use the method most convenient for you.
A criminal complaint can be typed and sent to the prosecutor’s office via email, fax, or mail, or handwritten. It can be submitted directly to the prosecutor’s office or another state authority.
If submitted to another state authority, the authority will receive the complaint and forward it to the competent prosecutor’s office, which alone can make the final decision.

Every citizen should report a criminal offence if they have knowledge that it has been committed. Every citizen is obliged to report a criminal offence if it was committed against a minor.

To report more easily, there is no prescribed format for a criminal complaint. What matters most is the content, clearly stating the criminal offence.
It is important to include as much information as possible, such as the time, place, and the description of the incident, because the state prosecutor uses this information to determine whether the complaint is justified.

Every criminal complaint is verified. First, it is determined whether the reported incident actually occurred. All other claims in the criminal complaint are also checked to establish whether there is evidence that the reported person committed a criminal offence prosecuted ex officio. If someone files a complaint about an incident that did not actually occur or reports a person who did not commit a crime, s/he bears responsibility for the criminal offence of fraudulent crime reporting. This also applies to those who falsely claim responsibility for a criminal offence they did not commit. A criminal complaint may also be filed in person. In that case, the stand-by prosecutor shall receive the complainant and take a statement for the record. All information provided to the state prosecutor will be documented. The complainant has the right to read the record and, upon agreement with its content, sign the document.

Only the state prosecutor’s office can decide regarding a criminal complaint.

Decision
A final decision is made after all relevant facts are established and the complaint information is verified.
The complainant will receive written notification of the outcome and information about their rights in the further course of proceedings. In cases where a criminal complaint is submitted anonymous, the state prosecutor’s office shall proceed as though the identity of the complainant is known.