New developments at the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption: Dušan Drakić appointed Assistant Director

Former acting director of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption Dušan Drakić has been assigned to a new position within the Agency, Portal ETV has learned.

Following that information, we contacted the Agency, which confirmed the claims.

- Dušan Drakić has been appointed Assistant Director in the Sector for Control of Public Officials, Political Entities, and Election Campaigns – the Agency stated.

ROLE SWAP AT THE TOP OF THE AGENCY

So, Drakić has remained in the Agency, but in a new role - after Kristina Braletić was elected as director with a full mandate.

In essence, the system remains the same - only the roles have changed.

Braletić moved up from assistant director to director, while Drakić moved from director to assistant.

CRIMINAL COMPLAINT AGAINST DRAKIĆ

A criminal complaint has been filed with the Special State Prosecutor’s Office against former acting director Dušan Drakić on suspicion of abuse of office, Portal ETV reported after reviewing documentation submitted in early March.

According to the complaint, Drakić abused his position by withdrawing a lawsuit before the Administrative Court while serving as acting director, thereby preventing judicial review of a decision by the Disciplinary Commission.

As alleged, this enabled both him and other officials to avoid disciplinary proceedings.

CONTROVERSIES OVER THE DIRECTORS'S APPOINTMENT

The Agency’s work has been accompanied by numerous controversies.

It is recalled that, although he represented a party in proceedings before the Administrative Court against the Agency, a member of the Agency’s Council, lawyer Mladen Tomović, saw nothing problematic in participating in the vote for the appointment of director, in which Kristina Braletić was a candidate.

Tomović did not recognize any conflict of interest or issue of impartiality. In a statement to Portal ETV before the vote, he claimed he had withdrawn his power of attorney in the case involving Braletić - after becoming a member of the Council.

However, lawyer Veselin Radulović clearly pointed to a conflict of interest, warning that Tomović’s vote could affect the legality of the decision. He emphasized that Tomović should have recused himself - which he ultimately did not do.

Portal ETV had previously reported that Tomović favored Braletić.

STRONG REACTIONS AFTER THE APPOINTMENT

Following Braletić’s appointment, independent anti-corruption expert, Slovenian specialist Drago Kos, also reacted:

- Although I have repeatedly stated that Mr. Mladen Tomović cannot be a member of the Council of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption, I somehow continued cooperating with the Agency until now. After yesterday’s Council session, I am absolutely giving up. What happened yesterday is the worst image the Council of the Agency can present of itself - Kos told Portal ETV.

THE METS CASE

There have also been earlier scandals related to the Agency.

A whistleblower from the Montenegrin Electricity Transmission System (METS) filed a corruption report in May last year against Dušan Drakić, his then assistant Kristina Braletić, and Council member and vice president Mladen Tomović.

The report was submitted to Council President Pavle Ćupić, accusing them of abuses in case no. U.br. 10579/23 before the Administrative Court of Montenegro.

PRECEDENT: WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION REVOKED

This case set a precedent - marking the first time since the introduction of whistleblower protection in Montenegro that such protection was revoked, a practice unknown in democratic societies.

A whistleblower is a person who reports suspected corruption within the institution or company where they work. Due to the risk of retaliation, such individuals are supposed to receive institutional protection.

In this case - that protection was removed.

PERSECUTOR OF THE WHISTLEBLOWER

Portal ETV recently reported that the „persecutor“ of the whistleblower from the Montenegrin Electricity Transmission System, vice president of the Agency'y Council, Mladen Tomović, earned tens of thousands of euros from this state-owned energy company after assuming his position in the oversight body of the institution that is supposed to encourage whistleblowers to report suspected corruption.

Whistleblower protection status had been granted by the Agency in 2023, after the METS management conducted what was described as a staged disciplinary procedure against him, following his 2021 report of suspected corruption.

That status was meant to protect him from further persecution and dismissal.

However, in 2024, there was a change in the Agency’s management, which had been anticipated since 2020 after pro-Russian and pro-Serbian socio-political elites came to power in Montenegro. In July, a new Council was elected, including lawyer Tomović as planned, and in August, Dušan Drakić, Tomović’s associate and client, was appointed acting director, also in line with earlier plans.