Mirjana Pajković, a former state secretary in Montenegro’s Ministry of Human and Minority Rights, said on Tuesday she had not broken the law or ethical standards and denied responsibility for the release of intimate videos that have triggered a political scandal in the country.
Speaking on a television podcast, Pajković said the explicit material had been abused as part of a malicious campaign aimed at discrediting her professionally, adding that she neither distributed the videos herself nor consented to their circulation.
“I did not violate the law or work ethics in any sense, including during working hours or in the performance of my official duties,” Pajković said. “The right to privacy has been grossly violated, and it is highly questionable how anyone can even determine when the footage was recorded.”
The scandal, which has dominated public debate in Montenegro for more than a month, also involved Dejan Vukšić, the former director of the National Security Agency and a former adviser to President Jakov Milatović. Both officials have resigned from their posts.
Vukšić stepped down late last year after Pajković filed three criminal complaints against him. Pajković resigned last Friday from her position at the ministry.
Pajković said the videos were deliberately sent to members of her family, friends, acquaintances and professional superiors, describing the distribution as targeted and coordinated.
“These materials were sent repeatedly and on a massive scale,” she said. “This was not about sensationalism or scandal. It was a direct attack on me as a public official and an attempt to destroy my credibility as a professional.”
She rejected public speculation that she had released the videos herself, calling such claims “malicious insinuations.”
“I would never publish recordings that make me uncomfortable, let alone show my face,” Pajković said, adding that the footage began circulating widely at the same time she started speaking publicly about alleged abuse of power against her and pursued legal remedies.
Pajković also addressed broader social attitudes, saying the case reflected persistent double standards toward women in public life.
“I do not renounce any of the roles life has given me as a woman,” she said. “I am fulfilled as a mother and as a professional, and I do not believe a public position should require sacrificing one’s private life.”
She said the situation had taken a heavy toll on her mental well-being, describing the experience as deeply distressing.
Reporting by local media said investigations into the case are ongoing.