The Range Rover linked to the Parliament of Montenegro was flagged by Interpol Switzerland. Following legal proceedings and a definitive ruling, the vehicle was permanently confiscated, and in early April last year, it was allocated to the office of the Speaker of Parliament, Andrija Mandić.

Authorities are investigating claims that Danilo Mandic, the Speaker’s bodyguard and nephew, used this vehicle last weekend and allegedly injured individuals named Darko Perović and Aris Turković at a city center intersection.

Podgorica police inspectors suspect that during the night from Friday to Saturday, Mandić obstructed the path of Perović and Turković in his official “Range Rover” and discharged multiple rounds at them, resulting in gunshot wounds to their legs.

Mandić surrendered to the police approximately 24 hours post-incident, leading to a judge at the Podgorica High Court ordering his detention for up to 30 days. The investigation is facing challenges due to conflicting testimonies from Perović and Turković, who maintain uncertainty regarding the circumstances of their injuries during the night in central Podgorica.

Sources from “Vijesti” reveal that the vehicle taken for criminal proceedings was originally seized in late July 2021 at the “Kula” border crossing, after it was discovered an Iraqi driver was operating a “Range Rover” with tampered chassis numbers.

Upon checking the computer databases, Rožaje police identified the 2013 jeep as being sought by Interpol Switzerland. A forensic examination confirmed that the chassis number plate had been “treated with acetone,” leading to the car’s ultimate seizure by a court ruling at the end of 2023.

The Property Management Department, led by Koča Đurišić, a member of the main board of New Serbian Democracy, drafted a proposal to assign the confiscated vehicle, valued at over €17,000, to the Parliament of Montenegro following a permanent confiscation order from a Rožaje Basic Court on the last day of 2023.

The government approved this proposal on April 4th of last year, with the “Range Rover” being officially registered to the Parliament six months later.

The State Property Administration has not provided “Vijesti” with details regarding when or why they authorized the transfer of the “Range Rover” to the Parliament without compensation. They have not clarified who from the Assembly requested this transfer or the criteria used to approve the handover of a permanently confiscated vehicle that had been with them since February 2022.

Additionally, the State Property Administration has not confirmed the number of vehicles transferred to the Police Administration post-June 2024, when the transfer of temporarily seized vehicles became legally permissible.

Sources from “Vijesti” indicate that a significant number of vehicles seized during criminal investigations by the Special State Prosecutor’s Office ended up with the Police Directorate, and that the count transferred to the Speaker’s administration is substantial.

The Parliament of Montenegro has not responded to various inquiries from “Vijesti” concerning the individual responsible for providing Danilo Mandić the keys to the “Range Rover,” nor in what capacity he was entrusted with the security of the parliamentary head.

The President of the Assembly is granted security through the Police Directorate, per a Government Decision regarding personnel and facilities.

The police have noted to “Vijesti” that Danilo Mandić is not an officer of the Police Department, and they lack information on his employment status or involvement in either the public or private sector.

Due to a history of violent incidents, Danilo Mandić has been registered as a BIL – a person of interest in security, in the Police Directorate’s records. A critical question remains as to who authorized him to operate the Parliament vehicle or accompany the Speaker of Parliament as a civilian.

Forensics officers are examining the jeep for gunpowder residue.

In the course of the investigation, police have analyzed numerous recordings from surveillance cameras around central Podgorica and gathered extensive statements to ascertain if Mandić was driving the official vehicle that night and fired at Perović and Turković.

Forensic experts are also inspecting the Range Rover to seek any traces of gunpowder particles within the Assembly vehicle.

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