Aco in Spuž, let him prepare…

As far as I know, Milo Đukanović is in Montenegro, said Andrija Nikolić, head of the DPS parliamentary group, on the show "Načisto", answering a repeatedly repeated question about the current location of the former president and prime minister.

With that note "as far as I know", the head of the parliamentary group is telling the public that, although there has been no sign or sound of him since Aco's arrest, Milo is in Montenegro.

And, maybe not.

With a rather ambiguous formulation, Nikolić not only failed to convince anyone that Đukanović had not fled his homeland, but also opened up space for all sorts of speculation because, if a man who is among the top five people in the DPS is not completely sure "where Milo is", then who will know?

Perhaps, after all, Nikolić's "as far as I know" is the fruit of some secret, long-term strategy by DPS and Milo. It is also possible that Đukanović's absence from the public eye is part of some plan, a carefully thought-out crisis management that is quite incomprehensible to us, mere mortals.

In both cases, the Depeeses and the elder Djukanovic are in a much bigger problem than Ace's arrest.

And, they certainly have reason to worry.

It is worth recalling that Milo Đukanović behaved completely differently in some similar situations.

Vesna Medenica was arrested on April 17, 2022, at the airport in Golubovci, and at the request of the Special State Prosecutor's Office, at that time the investigating judge of the Higher Court in Podgorica, Suzana Mugoša, ordered her to be detained for up to 30 days. Just a few days later, after a lecture at the University of Montenegro, according to the testimony of a Vijesti reporter, Đukanović quite casually confirmed to the gathered journalists that Medenica was his friend, reminded them that they had cooperated by nature of the work, and said that he had no information on the topic of her responsibility, and that the institutions should be allowed to do their job.

"We must avoid humiliating people through the form of detention, through the media spectacle of arrest, and handicapping them in advance in their defense, because this immediately indicates a lack of arguments on the part of the state," said Đukanović.

Two years later, early on Sunday, April 14, former Chief Special Prosecutor Milivoje Katnić and former senior police official Zoran Lazović were arrested. A week later, in an interview with Antena M, Đukanović was not so relaxed. He said that "Montenegrin society (is) a society of avengers."

"The one who is doing what he is doing now doesn't actually realize that he has already started a new page of Montenegrin revenge," Milo said at the time in an almost threatening tone.

At the time Aco was arrested, Medenica was convicted and was in a cell awaiting official sentencing to ten years in prison, while Katnić and Lazović languished in detention with not overly optimistic forecasts regarding their eventual release.

It seems, however, that most of Milo's possible problems lie not in the previous arrests of his brother and close associates of Đukanović, but in the changed circumstances that only surfaced during and after Aco's detention.

Among the facts that give a completely different tone than in the situations when Medenica or Katnić were handcuffed, it should certainly be noted that the pompous action in Podgorica and Nikšić was carried out by members of the Special Police Unit (PJP), and not the Special Police Department (SPO), as has been the case in most spectacular arrests so far.

The conspicuous silence of the SDT and Novović is also noticeable, as is the discreet distancing of the ANB. By announcing that secret agents had not entered Aco Đukanović's house in the Nikšić neighborhood of Rastoci for more than two decades, they seemed to want to say, among other things, that they had nothing to do with this arrest.

Even the ruling PES did not hold back from expressing their delight at the arrest of one of the most powerful people in Montenegro.

For example, upon the arrest of Milivoje Katnić, Prime Minister Milojko Spajić said on the same day, via the X network, that he welcomed "the SDT's continued fight against every form of crime and corruption" and that the Government and competent administrations would continue to "provide adequate support so that the rule of law is applied efficiently and to the full extent."

This conspicuous absence of public support was the reason for Boris Bogdanović to publicly ask his colleagues in the Parliament "where is the applause now?"

"Aco Đukanović was arrested. That's why the attacks. That's why the screaming. That's why the hysteria. That's why the security sector leaders are bothered, because for the first time someone is allowed to knock on the door of the first family. And we know who is allowed. That's why they're bothered by order. That's why they're bothered by the state. That's why they're bothered by the truth," Bogdanović said.

And indeed, it seems, based on public reactions, that few in the ruling infrastructure felt like applauding the action that clearly had the Democrats' handwriting. The reasons are different, but almost everyone on the political scene has their own motives for restraint. As I already said, everyone is thinking not so much about the arrest of Aco Đukanović, but rather about what Bečić & comp's next move will be in the pre-election period, and especially next year, when elections are supposed to be held.

There is as much cause for thought in the opposition as in the ruling parties. The elections are here, right under our noses, and it is quite clear who will present what to the citizens. PES has already reserved for itself the increase in salaries and pensions and, of course, European integration. Mandić and the pro-Serbian bloc have long nominated their traditional topics from language and flag to Chetniks. DPS will, of course, try to point out the numerous weaknesses of the August party.

Everything is mostly clear and easily predictable, but what will the Democrats do?

Deeply entrenched in the security sector, they have no choice but to fight corruption and crime. And here we come to what worries almost everyone, and which was only hinted at by the arrest of Aco Đukanović.

Many individuals from the underworld have been put behind bars, and even more important figures from the former government, but by arresting Milo's brother in what appears to be a fairly independent and uncoordinated operation with partners from the government, the SDT and other security structures, the Democrats have shown that their appetites and ambitions are much greater. In addition, 2027 is a long way off, and voters do not have such a long memory to be satisfied with Aco, Katnić, Lazović or Vesna Medenica in a prison cell.

That's why both the government and the opposition are wondering, each from their own perspective and for the sake of their own interests, who is next on the Democrats' list.

DPS, while questioning the validity of old deals (Daka Davidović), fears that the "red ties" are having blasphemous thoughts, regarding their honorary president.

PES and others have nothing against the arrest of Đukanović, but they would not want the Democrats to seize all the benefits of a highly profitable pre-election move.

On the other hand, the Democrats are closing ranks, with the new law they have definitely barricaded themselves in their fortress - the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and with a mysterious smile they say:

"Aco is in Spuž, let him get ready..."