In the High Court in Podgorica, the trial in the "Apartments" case began today, in which the members of the Commission for solving housing issues of the Government of Montenegro from 2016-2020 are charged with abuse of official position.
“I'm completely clean. I didn't take anything for myself. No apartment. I would be mentally retarded if I were to provide some benefit to another, knowing that I was doing it outside the law, while at the same time providing nothing for myself. This is absolutely a politically staged process", said today, at the trial in the High Court in Podgorica, former deputy of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) Predrag Bošković.
"Neither I, nor the other defendants, have done anything illegal. The government's housing policy is not the policy of Predrag Bošković and the other defendants. It all started in anticipation of the 2020 elections with a criminal complaint against the government at the time, which was dismissed in September of that year. After that, nothing happened for months After the vote of no confidence in the Government, Dritan Abazović filed a criminal complaint housing issues," Bošković said today, in front of the court panel, presided over by judge Vesna Kovačević.
He reminded that at that time the suspects were questioned in the Special State Prosecutor's Office on the Sunday before the parliamentary elections in Montenegro in June 2023.
"In order to remove any possible responsibility from myself and to avoid being sued by some Vukas Radonjić, the rulebook was changed, so the government made proposals about who should be allocated an apartment. We did not make any decisions, we acted according to the government's conclusions," he said. is Bošković in his defense today.
He stated that "he did not know the vast majority of people" who received housing loans "personally".
The other defendants also presented their defense and also pointed out that they believe that this is a politically motivated proceeding, which is why they refused to answer the questions of the special prosecutor Vukas Radonjić, who represents the indictment against the former deputies, as well as the court.
"The thought that someone could have been harmed by the work of the commission, of which I was a member, hurts me both as a person and as a doctor," said the accused Suad Numanović.
The accused Budimir Šegrt and Sanja Vlahović also stated that they are not guilty.
"The indictment contradicts common sense. I am accused of deliberately benefiting, in violation of the law, someone I do not even know. I am confused by this indictment, which is offensive. We are accused of misleading our Government . The government of which we were members. The indictment is pointless," Vlahović said.
Lawyer Nikola Martinović suggested to the court that Milo Đukanović and Duško Marković, who were the heads of the government during the period when they were accused, be heard as witnesses. And clarified his proposal.
"Let's see if they were mistaken," said Martinović. He also suggested that all 119 who received housing loans be heard as witnesses.
"I cannot believe that this procedure has taken place. This is harassment of me and my family, as well as of all the accused," said the accused Ivan Brajović.
The defendant, Damir Šehović, described the indictment as unfounded and bizarrely drawn up.
"This is a transparent and cheap attempt at political discredit. It is the result of the previous Government's terrible pressure on the Special Prosecutor's Office. This is about politics, not law. Political rivals started this to cover up their crime. Those who wrote this criminal complaint are the beneficiaries these same loans, and in a much larger amount," claims the defendant Šehović.
Accused Osman Nurković stated that in the past 70-80 years, citizens' housing problems were solved in the same way.
"Whether there were dissatisfied people then, there certainly was. But no proceedings were ever initiated," said Nurković.
The trial continues on November 21.
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