Montenegrin state companies cooperate with companies from Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), which were sanctioned by the United States of America (USA) in June due to their connection with the family of the president of Bosnia and Herzegovina. entity Republika Srpska (RS) Milorad Dodik.
Before the publication of the "black list" of the USA, contracts had been signed by at least two state companies in the field of energy - "EPCG Solar gradnja" and "Montenegro Elektrodistributivni sistem" (CEDIS).
The Ministry of Energy of Montenegro is waiting for the opinions of other ministries in order to make a decision on the eventual termination of the contract in the case of "Solar construction".
"Everything that burdens our European path will be absolutely eliminated and there is no dilemma," said the Ministry for Radio Free Europe (RSE).
The Ministry of Finance did not answer RSE's questions about whether Montenegrin companies are obliged to follow the policy of American sanctions.
To whom sanctions were imposed
In mid-June, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Department of Finance sanctioned two persons and seven companies from BiH, which are associated with the family of Milorad Dodik.
The list includes, among others, "Infinity International Group", "Kaldera company" and "Prointer ITSS".
They are part of a network, as noted in the OFAC statement, which provides "significant sources of income" for Dodik and his family.
"Infinity International Group" denied any connection with that family.
Dodik himself has been under US sanctions for a long time, as have his son Igor and daughter Gorica.
The US Embassy in Sarajevo announced in mid-June that those who cooperate with designated individuals and companies "also expose themselves to the risk of sanctions".
Contract with a sanctioned "trade secret" company
And three months before the American sanctions, "Solar gradnja", one of the companies of Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (EPCG), signed a cooperation agreement with BiH in March. by the company "Kaldera company".
"The contract was signed in case a need or opportunity for more specific cooperation arises in the future... after that we did not sign any other contract on specific work," they told RSE from "Solar gradne" after information that their potential partners were sanctioned.
However, the Montenegrin state company refused to submit the contract with "Kaldera company", saying that it was a business secret.
They did not even directly respond to RSE's repeated question whether they would terminate or cancel the contract with that company.
They said that they have no way of checking who is behind a company and that their only interest is to "improve business by connecting with other companies":
"When we looked at the references of 'Kaldera', we did not find Dodik's name anywhere in the commercial register at the commercial court. And that's where the whole story begins and ends as far as our company is concerned."
On the website of the US Ministry of Finance, it is stated that this company is connected with Igor, the son of Milorad Dodik.
EPCG: The subsidiary company has the right to make independent decisions
The question of how their daughter company "EPCG Solar gradnja" should act in this case was not answered directly by EPCG either:
"Each company in the country, including us and those owned by us, is obliged to operate in accordance with laws and other valid acts. Appreciating the right to autonomous operation of the subsidiary company, we believe that colleagues will be adequately determined according to this and other questions from their domain".
EPCG and their daughter company "EPCG Željezara" said that they do not have signed contracts with companies from the "black list", while Rudnik Uglja Pljevlja did not answer RSE's questions.
Before the final decision, the minister is waiting for the opinion of the ministries
Commenting on the "Solar construction" contract with the sanctioned BH. company, Minister of Energy Saša Mujović said on June 27 that the contract is invalid immediately "if there is anything disputed".
The Ministry told RSE that in the meantime no specific activities have been undertaken in the direction of terminating or canceling the contract.
"Our intention is to seek the opinions of relevant institutions, that is, ministries, which from the aspect of their competences can give useful advice and guidelines in accordance with which we will act further".
RSE requested the opinion of the Ministry of Finance regarding the disputed contract, but did not receive a response.
Valuable Government CEDIS Contracts for "Infinity"
And since 2020, the company "Infinity ITSS and energy" from Podgorica has been operating in Montenegro, whose co-owner is BiH. the company under American sanctions "Infinity international group".
"The company carries out all its business activities in Montenegro smoothly", they said from "Infinity ITSS and energy" when asked by RFE/RL whether they fear the consequences of the American sanctions under which they are a co-owner.
It works independently or as part of a consortium with the sanctioned "Prointer ITSS" in public procurement in Montenegro.
Thus, for the last year and a half, it received three contracts of the state "Montenegro Electric Distribution System" (CEDIS) worth 475.000 euros. The last contract, which the company won independently, was signed in mid-April.
When asked whether the fact that the co-owner of the company from Podgorica is on the US 'blacklist' will affect future cooperation, CEDIS said that they base their business on respect for the law.
"And any future cooperation will depend on the possibility of fulfilling the conditions defined by the provisions of the current laws".
"Infinity ITTS and energy" was founded in October 2020, two months after the three-decade rule of the Democratic Party of Socialists Milo Đukanović was replaced in the parliamentary elections.
Among the parties that took power are members of the pro-Russian Democratic Front (DF), whose leaders are in close relations with the president of BiH. entity of the RS Milorad Dodik.
DF officials hold high positions in several state-owned energy companies.
The name of the director of "Infinity ITTS and energy", Bojan Vujić, coincides with the name of the president of the board of directors of "Infinity International Group".
The company from Podgorica added that "Infinity International Group" will undergo a restructuring process this month and they believe that "the best model will be found for the continuation of the functioning of all business entities that are currently owned by this group".
The company based in Podgorica achieved revenues of over 570.000 last year, while the year before it had around 220.000 euros.
In the notes submitted by the company with the financial report, in the part concerning transactions, it is stated that it owes about 375.000 euros to companies from the same group, and claims about 425.000 euros from them.
*Cooperation on the text - RSE Digital Forensic Unit
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