Defense Minister Dragan Krapović said that he was not aware of whether the newly appointed Acting Director of the National Security Agency (ANB) Ivica Janović passed the security check.
Subsequently, in the show "Sunday in the rear-view mirror" on Televija Vijesti, he said that he received information that Ivica Janović passed all security checks and that there were no security obstacles for his installation.
He also said that he thinks that at the electronic session of the Government on December 12, on the occasion of the appointment of Janović, the ministers from the ranks of the Democratic People's Party, Milun Zogović and Maja Vukićević, dissented.
He also said that he knows Ivica Janović as an exemplary citizen and an honest man in his opinion.
Deputy of the Democratic Party of Socialists and member of the security committee Nikola Janović characterized the appointment of Ivica Janović as "trivializing important positions in the state".
Krapović, after being asked since when the seaman's job was combined with the investigation of drug and cigarette smuggling, answered:
"I don't know when the seafarer's job is done. For me, it is enough that the prime minister has the right to choose to propose and that there are certain formal conditions that this person must fulfill. In this case, both things coincided," said Krapović.
Speaking as a guest on TV Adria, Spajić said that Ivica Janović "has professional references that are very important" for the appointment as ANB director.
"Our sea border was the source of all evil in Montenegro, you know that most drugs come mainly by ships. The clans used the ports of Bar and Kotor to import cocaine, our people on the ships were couriers and organizers, we also had cigarettes through the Port of Bar, human trafficking and many other unfortunate stories. So someone who has a background in that sphere will surely contribute a lot to understanding the risks from that sphere of national security," said Spajić.
Krapović was asked if this statement by Spajić could be an argument for him as a former opposition member from Budva, before the DPS government was replaced, he replied
"I will not go into it for a large number of reasons, but mostly because of what you said. I could privately have my own opinion, but I am here as the Minister of Defense and I would not want to interfere in these matters," Krapović said in response to questions from the editor of the show.
When asked whether, prior to his declaration as a minister, he had received from the prime minister the information that Ivica Janović is a co-owner of the company he founded with a person of security interest, Mata Bošković, whose property was searched in the action against the Skaljar and Kavač clans, he said:
"I don't know about that, it's speculation... You had similar things for the appointment of Vukšić. If it is determined in the formal process of determining security disturbances, and that process must be passed..."
When asked if he passed the security assessment, Krapović said that he did not know.
"I don't deal with rabid checks. I voted because there is no problem with him being the director of ANB...".
When asked if this meant that a man who had not passed the security clearance was chosen as the head of the ANB, he answered:
"I don't know that, they will determine it. Maybe they brought the security certificate. I assume that the one who proposes gets that information...And I think it's wrong because the security assessment should be done before".
Krapović also said that he has no information on whether Ivica Janović has the citizenship of another country.
Nikola Janović said that Ivica is from his hometown, but that he does not know about his affairs that have been mentioned in recent years.
"I think his choice is trivializing important positions in the state. You have to have slightly different references," Janović said.
He also pointed out that Spajić, explaining the references for Ivica Janović, "made a terrible argument".
"I think he offended the seafarers the way he said it... What he said is really bad. Furthermore, what he said as recommendations for the director of ANB, if I were in the position of the new director of ANB, I would ask him to he no longer defends me on the issue of references," said Janović.
Bonus video:
