Šćepanović: A large number of foreigners will be returned to their home countries, almost 14.000 Turkish citizens in Montenegro

There are around 13.800 Turkish citizens with temporary residence in Montenegro, and 87 with permanent residence, said the acting director of the Police Administration, Lazar Šćepanović.

In an interview with RTCG, speaking about the suspects in the attack on a Podgorica resident in Zabjelo two nights ago, he said that "they are not migrants, but people who have certain legal permits - residence permits."

"Three Azerbaijani citizens and one Turkish citizen have been identified, suspected of having committed this crime," he added.

Explaining why the act was not qualified as attempted murder, but as violent behavior, he said that the attacked young man "suffered minor bodily injuries: cuts, lacerations and one stab wound, which the prosecutor, in cooperation with a medical expert, determined were not attempted murder."

The Acting Director of the Police Directorate said that all foreigners who are well-intentioned and want to contribute to the prosperity of Montenegro are welcome in Montenegro.

"And to those who want to deal with immigration, drug trafficking, violence, the Police Directorate will respond decisively. They will be discovered, prosecuted and expelled. I want to tell citizens not to take justice into their own hands. The Police Directorate has the mechanisms, it has the will to face all problems. I urge that the conflict not escalate. We will resolve this problem in the institutions of the system and you will see that after the revision of the list that will follow in the coming period, a large number of foreign citizens will be returned to their home countries," said Šćepanović.

He emphasized that the measures implemented by the Police Directorate are 333 percent greater than last year.

"We have adopted measures for removal, expulsion and cancellation of residence for over 300 persons, we have adopted over 1.070 measures for foreign citizens to whom we gave a negative opinion and over 1.000 for termination of residence, which shows that we have taken measures for 3.000 foreign citizens who will leave the country in the coming period," he explained and called on second-instance authorities to support the Police Directorate.

"Certain foreign citizens, in accordance with the Law on Economic Activities and the CRPS, were allowed to establish a company with one euro without initial capital, and such activities enabled them to obtain residence. We believe that these are fictitious applications, a front, and we will request a report from the Director of the Tax Administration on foreign citizens who did not generate income or conduct economic activities, where the Police Administration will use the Law on Foreigners as an instrument, and such persons will not be welcome in Montenegro," says Šćepanović.

Šćepanović welcomed the Government's decision to abolish the visa-free regime for Turkish citizens.

"Because the 2008 agreement with Turkey allows their citizens to travel without visas on the territory of Montenegro. Officials with whom we have international cooperation have repeatedly indicated that certain structures have local arrest warrants issued and that there is a favorable environment for such persons to be found on the territory of Montenegro with the help of falsified documents," explained the acting director of the Police Directorate.

Speaking about the rally held in front of the Government tonight, Šćepanović said that it was not registered and was announced via social media.

He added that the police have intelligence with a high degree of accuracy that certain structures, factors and elements have been involved in inflaming the situation.

"These latest activities, this very public gathering, have diverted attention from the major operations being carried out by the Police Directorate, the Special Police Department, and the Special State Prosecutor's Office, where they have been completely overshadowed, because citizens need to support us in establishing the rule of law and breaking up the criminal octopus. That is a priority. We will resolve problems with foreigners in accordance with the law in the institutions, and all those who think they will stop the fight against crime will only see the blow to criminal structures," he announced.