Olivera Lakić is a Montenegrin investigative journalist for the Montenegrin newsroom Libertas Press working for the daily newspaper''

Vijesti ''Nezavisni dnevnik Vijesti'' (; English translation: ''News'') is a Montenegrin daily newspaper. The paper is published and managed by an entity called Daily Press d.o.o. - a limited liability company based in Podgorica. The company's ownershi ...

''. In May 2018, she was wounded by a gunman after investigating corruption in

Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...

. She became an

International Women of Courage Award The International Women of Courage Award, also referred to as the U.S. Secretary of State's International Women of Courage Award, is an American award presented annually by the United States Department of State to women around the world who have ...

recipient in 2019.

Life

Lakić is an investigative journalist for the Montenegrin newsroom Libertas Press, and the daily newspaper ''Vijesti''. Lakić wrote stories on crime and corruption in Montenegro, including stories on counterfeit tobacco products. Beginning in 2011, Lakić received threats against her and her daughter, if she did not cease her work. In 2012 she was attacked outside her home in

Podgorica Podgorica ( cnr-Cyrl, Подгорица; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Montenegro, largest city of Montenegro. The city is just north of Lake Skadar and close to coastal destinations on the Adriatic Sea. Histor ...

, and then again on 8 May 2018 in the same location. In the second attack she was wounded in the leg by a gunman. The attack was condemned by Prime Minister

Duško Marković Duško Marković (; born 6 July 1959) is a Montenegrin politician who served as the prime minister from 2016 to 2020. Formerly a high-ranking member of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), he is now the president of the Party of European ...

, and international governments and organisations. It was the second attack on a Montenegrin journalist in a month, and began a movement to reform media and journalist safety in Montenegro. She became an

recipient in 2019. In December 2020 it was announced that two suspects had been detained, alongside others already in prison, for planning Lakić's assassination. In April 2025 the trial of a group of suspects in the 2018 attack and subsequent assassination plot was due to start in the High Court in Podgorica, but was instead assigned instead to a new panel, chaired by Radovan Vlaović. The defendants have also been charged with the murder of Miodrag Kruščić and with smuggling marijuana from Albania into Montenegro.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lakic, Olivera Living people Montenegrin journalists Montenegrin women activists Montenegrin human rights activists Shooting survivors Year of birth missing (living people) Montenegrin women journalists 21st-century journalists Recipients of the International Women of Courage Award