The Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (ASK) has forwarded a case regarding the credit card of former Montenegrin President Milo Đukanović to the Special State Prosecutor’s Office (SDT).

This confirmation was provided to TVCG by Mladen Tomović, Vice President of the ASK Council.

According to reports, all relevant case documents have been sent to the SDT.

Đukanović is accused of violating the Law on the Prevention of Corruption by failing to disclose a debt of 16,741.24 euros on a VIP revolving card from Atlas Bank in 2019, which was reportedly cleared that same year by his son, Blažo, as previously announced by ASK.

“It has been established that Milo Đukanović, while serving as a public official, breached Article 25, paragraph 3, indent 2 of the Law on the Prevention of Corruption by not submitting a Report on Income and Assets in 2019, despite being required to report an increase in assets amounting to 16,741.24 euros within the legally mandated timeframe,” stated the Agency’s decision, which was signed by Acting Director Dušan Drakić.

The initiative for these proceedings was initiated nearly six years ago by the Network for the Affirmation of the Non-Governmental Sector (MANS), but the previous leadership of the Agency declined to pursue actions against Đukanović.

MANS challenged this decision in the Administrative Court, which mandated the Agency to proceed with the investigations.

The former Agency Director, Jelena Perović, who is facing trial for alleged abuse of position, briefly initiated and subsequently paused the proceedings, citing that they could continue “after the completion of the proceedings before the Commercial Court in case P no. 210/21.”

The Administrative Court also annulled that decision of the Agency.

On Friday, Đukanović announced plans to file a lawsuit against the ASK’s decision in the Administrative Court.

In his media statement, he noted that the issuance of an administrative act without offering him an opportunity to respond to the investigation’s results—despite ASK’s legal obligation to do so—indicates a clear intention to contravene Article 14 of the Law on Administrative Procedure.

“This behavior raises accountability for those who knowingly and intentionally break the law to satisfy those political figures exerting pressure on them, who treat their political careers as mere sensationalism,” Đukanović commented.

He further criticized the premature announcement of the decision to the media before it was formally communicated to him as indicative of a bias towards sensationalism.

“Regarding the legal deficiencies of the decision, I will detail my arguments in the lawsuit that I intend to file with the Administrative Court as soon as I receive the decision in question,” emphasized Đukanović.

He pointed out that two court rulings in his favor have been issued, which substantiate that the alleged debt to the bank does not exist and confirm violations of his personal rights due to the dissemination of falsehoods.

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