Belgian businessman and owner of a large land complex on Spas hill above Budva Jean Luc Dumortier, was arrested and is in extradition custody by order of the Podgorica High Court.
This was confirmed to Vijesti in the High Court and in the Budva Security Center.
The case against him was formed at the request of Switzerland, for the purpose of extradition for conducting criminal proceedings.
Police inspectors arrested Dumortier at the end of April, after which he was taken into extradition custody.
Independent consultant for public relations of the High Court in Podgorica Marija Raković, she told "Vijesti" that extradition custody was ordered for the honorary Belgian consul, businessman Jacques Luc Dumortier, and that he is in extradition custody by the decision of that court.
"The person Ž.LD was deprived of his liberty on April 29, 4, and he is in extradition custody according to the decision of the investigating judge of this court. The case against the named person was formed at the request of Switzerland, for the purpose of extradition for conducting criminal proceedings due to the well-founded suspicion that he committed the criminal offense of effectively reducing property to the detriment of the creditor and misappropriation of values, which are under the court decision from Article 2022 and 164 of the Criminal Code of Switzerland," she said. Rakovic.
Dumortije is the honorary consul of Belgium in Montenegro, but his private business in Montenegro has been under scrutiny and the subject of an investigation by the Swiss prosecutor's office since 2015.
Seven years ago, the news announced that the High Court blocked the entire property of Dumortije in Montenegro, and the bank accounts were also blocked at the request of the Swiss prosecutor's office.
Dumortije was then charged by the prosecutor's office of the Canton of Geneva with a criminal offense - mismanagement of funds
The Higher Court in Podgorica, in "the matter of providing international legal assistance in criminal matters", adopted in 2015 the proposal of the Canton of Geneva and passed a temporary measure prohibiting the alienation and encumbrance of a large land complex of 600.000 square meters on Spas Hill, above Budva.
The land is managed by 11 companies associated with Dumortije.
At that time, the court prohibited Crnogorska kommerciolska banka and NLB Montenegro banka from making any changes in "disposing of the capital from the bank account in the name of Jean-Luc Dumortier or other bank accounts for which he has economic rights."
In the court decision, which "Vijesti" had access to, it is stated that the temporary measure is issued at the risk and burden of the Canton of Geneva and that it can last at the longest until a final decision is made in the civil process being conducted there against Dumortije.
After the appeal, because it is a criminal offense that is unknown to Montenegrin, Belgian and EU laws, the temporary measure was then lifted.
The decision on the prohibition of alienation and encumbrance was then passed on the property of 11 Kotor companies, which are associated with Dumortije and are registered as the owners of the complex on Spas Hill.
Dumortije bought a complex on the hill above Budva more than a decade and a half ago, in the midst of a buying frenzy and the arrival of numerous investors.
That's when the idea of building a golf course was promoted.
After he bought a 60-hectare complex and announced his intention to build the first golf course, hotels and villas, there was a lawsuit from the locals - that Dumortije bought part of the land from a fake owner.
This led to many years of litigation.
Unsolved property problems, as well as the delay in the adoption of planning documents, were the reason why the Ministry of Sustainable Development did not issue a building permit.
The Belgian businessman has repeatedly claimed that the 60 hectares of land on the Spas hill were "purchased conscientiously and in accordance with the law", but that in all previous years he suffered the greatest damage.
The planned construction of a golf course, hotel, restaurant...
Back in 2013, the Ministry issued urban planning and technical conditions, which provided for the construction of a golf course on 45,29 hectares of land at Spas.
"The golf course is planned with 18 holes. At the location next to the entrance to the golf course, the construction of a golf hotel is planned, and other accompanying accommodation and commercial facilities are also planned for neighboring locations. The hotels in question are adjacent to an 18-hole golf course certified by the Professional Golfers Association, which has a clubhouse with a restaurant and bar, changing rooms and showers, a specialized golf equipment store, a training center, golf professionals certified by the Professional Players Association of golf, transportation services to the golf course. Villas are luxury houses that are rented to tourists as one unit with complete hospitality and service. "Villas are planned for locations with an area of about 1.000 square meters, and vehicles can be parked in a parking place or in a garage on the lot," the decision reads.
Neither a golf course, nor a hotel or any other facilities were built on Spas hill.
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