Simović's detention lifted

The Council of the Higher Court in Podgorica has issued a decision to terminate the detention of Milutin Simović.

Independent advisor to the Higher Court, Ivana Vukmirović, told "Vijesti" that the appeal of the defense attorney of suspect Simović was upheld.

"The decision of the investigating judge was modified in such a way that the suspect's detention was lifted and the supervision measure was a ban on meetings with certain persons," she announced.

The former Minister of Agriculture was sent to Skopje detention on December 24th after being questioned by an investigating judge of the Higher Court in Podgorica.

Simović is accused of repeatedly submitting requests for cash payments from the treasury during the period he was managing the institution, although he disguised this as the official needs of the national team.

The Special State Prosecutor's Office suspects him of having unlawfully abused his official position and powers, exceeding the limits of his official authority, and obtaining material gain for himself between June 2017 and August 2020.

"Because he, alone or with his wife and other family members or other people close to him, stayed in the hotels "Splendid" in Bečići, "Bjanka" in Kolašin and others, or consumed food and drinks in the restaurants "Porto" and "Imanje Knjaz" in Podgorica, "Izvor" in Reževići, "Il Brodetto" in Pržno, "Ristorante Life", "Tartufi & Friends", "Le Grotte" in Rome and others, even on weekends, and he submitted the paid invoices to the treasury of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and on their basis he was reimbursed for expenses in the form of cash payments, although these were obviously not expenses related to the performance of official duties," the SDT announced earlier.

Simović was also under investigation by the SDT in mid-December last year, when he was arrested with another former minister of agriculture and party colleague from the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), Petar Ivanović.

After the hearing, Simović was allowed to defend himself from freedom, but for a time he was under surveillance, meaning he was not allowed to meet with witnesses.

After the investigation was completed, Simović was not included in the SDT indictment due to charges of illegal payments from the Agrobudget - a financial support plan to stimulate agriculture and rural development for farmers.