Radulović: The Special State Prosecutor’s Office should examine the role of the Democrats, Bogdanović and Vujović, as the state lost more than 4,5 million euros in the construction of the Meljine - Petijevići Road

Lawyer Veselin Radulović will submit a supplement to the criminal complaint to the Special State Prosecutor’s Office against the political party Democrats - Democratic Montenegro, representative in the Parliament of that party Boris Bogdanović, and the Minister of Culture and Media and a party representative  Tamara Vujović today, due to reasonable suspicion that they committed the criminal offenses of forming a criminal organization, abuse of official position over a prolonged period, and abuse of position over a prolonged period through incitement and aiding and abetting.

Radulović requests that the Special State Prosecutor’s Office examine the reasons why the Government in May 2021 adopted the Information on the termination of the agreement and the buyout of the Meljine - Petijevići road section, on the basis of which only one day later a new agreement was signed that caused damage to the state budget of 4,5 million euros. He believes it should be examined whether there is reasonable suspicion that any officials of the then Government or officials of the local self-government in Herceg Novi participated in the planning, preparation, and execution of the criminal offenses.

Radulović filed two complaints against the Democrats and their officials in August, followed by four additional supplements to the criminal complaints, but to this day there has been no response from the Special State Prosecutor’s Office.

DISPUTED TERMINATION OF THE AGREEMENT

In the supplement to the criminal complaint, which Portal ETV had access to, it is stated that the goal of the criminal organization was to acquire unlawful power for the benefit of “the Democrats and other reported persons,” to the detriment of the budget of Montenegro. Radulović claims that each member had a pre-determined or determinable task.

- In the organization’s activities, intimidation is applied and there is influence of the criminal organization over the political authorities, the media, and the legislative and executive branches - the supplement to the criminal complaint states.

The political party Democrats - Democratic Montenegro allegedly had the role and task of concealing the abuses of members of the criminal organization and, according to lawyer Radulović, of creating conditions for and inciting criminal offenses. All of this allegedly resulted in the acquisition of financial gain to the detriment of the state budget.

- The party, through its officials and members, immediately after becoming part of the government at the end of 2020 and throughout 2021, repeatedly sent letters to the Government of Montenegro with the same question and demand: That the state reach a new agreement with the concessionaire „Universal Monte“, backed by Serbian businessman Vuk Hamović. Based on a 2007 tender, a contract was concluded with this company for the construction of the Meljine - Petijevići road, as part of the Herceg Novi - Trebinje road, for the construction of a 12,5 kilometer section. Under that contract, the concessionaire would have lost the right to collect toll revenues in 2027. They falsely presented that they were acting in the interest of citizens in order to stop toll collection, thereby gaining political benefit for the party in the upcoming local elections in Herceg Novi. Thus, together with other reported persons, they ultimately succeeded in having the Government and the Municipality of Herceg Novi conclude a new agreement with „Universal Monte“ on May 7th 2021, to the detriment of the state, which stipulated an obligation for the state to pay the concessionaire more than 4 million euros, an amount that the concessionaire managed to collect through court proceedings on the basis of that agreement - the complaint states.

QUESTIONS

According to lawyer Radulović, on April 23rd 2021 Bogdanović sent a letter to the Government asking whether and when a new agreement would be concluded with the concessionaire „Universal Monte“, backed by businessman Hamović. It is suspected that Bogdanović's role was to create conditions and encourage the commission of criminal acts.

Vujović, according to the complaint, had the task, in her capacity as a then member of Parliament, of creating conditions for and inciting the commission of criminal offenses to the detriment of the state budget.

- On December 10th 2020 she submitted a parliamentary question to the then Minister of Capital Investments Mladen Bojanić pointing out the problems faced by residents of Herceg Novi regarding toll collection on the Meljine - Petijevići section, with a proposal that the Government assume full authority over the road section and that 4,5 million euros be paid to the concessionaire „Universal Monte“. Based on the 2007 tender, a contract had been concluded with that company for the construction of the Meljine - Petijevići road, as part of the Herceg Novi - Trebinje road, for a 12,5 kilometer section, under which the concessionaire would otherwise have lost the right to toll revenues in 2027. Then, on March 2nd 2021 she also submitted a parliamentary question to the then Minister of Finance Milojko Spajić with the same proposal. Thus, together with other reported persons, she ultimately succeeded in having the Government of Montenegro and the Municipality of Herceg Novi conclude a new agreement with „Universal Monte“ on May 7th 2021, to the detriment of the state of Montenegro, which stipulated an obligation for the state to pay the concessionaire over 4 million euros, an amount that the concessionaire managed to collect in court proceedings on the basis of that agreement - the complaint states.

Lawyer Radulović emphasizes that the evidence from the previous criminal complaints and supplements indicates that the entire infrastructure of the Democratic Montenegro party “was placed at the service of planning and executing criminal offenses, primarily the abuse of official authority by officials of that party, through which criminal offenses the organization and its members, over a prolonged period, acquired financial and political gain while simultaneously causing damage to the budget of Montenegro”.