The Network for the Affirmation of the Non-Governmental Sector (MANS) is urging MPs to postpone the adoption of the Agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) until it incorporates anti-corruption provisions and specific mechanisms for preventing money laundering.

“Even though the regime was formally dismantled nearly five years ago, key individuals associated with previous corrupt practices and organized crime still influence vital security and financial decisions in the country. Notably, Aleksandar Radović, the current assistant director of the Police Directorate for financial and intelligence matters, is at the helm of the institution responsible for safeguarding the system against illicit financial activities,” MANS’s statement mentioned.

The NGO emphasized that from 2015 to 2021, Radović acted as a liaison officer for the Police Directorate at Europol in The Hague, during a time when Europol’s insights related to organized crime’s infiltration into the Montenegrin police were systematically suppressed.

“To date, the agency he leads has not yielded any significant outcomes in spotting money laundering, despite Montenegro grappling with substantial organized crime and high-level corruption for years. Still, the Prime Minister has notably claimed that ‘there is no risk of money laundering’ concerning the agreement with the UAE,” MANS stated.

They pointed out that the UAE is globally recognized as a haven for illicitly acquired assets, where financial information is not shared internationally, making the verification of fund origins nearly impossible.

“Due to these concerns, several MPs presented proposals to amend the agreement with the UAE to include provisions that would ensure measures for preventing money laundering and guarantee essential financial transparency. These suggestions were dismissed without serious discussion by the political majority, which, during their time in opposition, decried the vast amounts of money being laundered in Montenegro. Now in power, they quietly support an agreement that paves the way for money laundering, thereby preserving the framework of the previous regime—an absurdity both politically and institutionally,” MANS remarked.

They concluded that Montenegro still lacks both the political resolve and the institutional capability to verify the origins of incoming funds and whether they stem from illicit sources.

“With some well-known Montenegrin ‘businessmen’ already taking refuge in the Emirates, it becomes evident who benefits most from this setup. Thus, the Agreement with the UAE, absent any assurances and control measures, does not represent economic collaboration and advancement, but rather a continuation of Montenegro’s deterioration under new pretexts,” MANS’s statement expresses.

President Jakov Milatović has not endorsed the Law on Ratification of the Agreement on Cooperation concerning Tourism and Real Estate Development between the Governments of Montenegro and the UAE, returning it to the Parliament of Montenegro for further contemplation.

The Parliament of Montenegro passed this law on April 23rd.

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