Montenegrin businessman Vladimir Vanja Popović, who filed a criminal complaint with the prosecutor's office in Spain against the Spanish company "Audax Energias Renovables SA" (formerly Fersa) on suspicion of fraud, said before the Inquiry Committee dealing with the actions of state authorities and other entities in the Možura case that the project to build a wind farm at the site of the same name was accompanied by corrupt payments.
He said, as reported by RTCG, that he had reported the Spanish company Fersu in both Montenegro and Spain for fraud, and that he had submitted documentation to the Montenegrin prosecutor's office which, he claims, could shed light on one of the largest international scandals related to Montenegro.
Popović has often spoken publicly about this affair, claiming that former officials received bribes and that it was a multi-million dollar fraud.
The businessman described in detail how the construction of a wind farm at the Možura site was initiated, emphasizing that he submitted all documents to the head of the State Prosecutor's Office, Milorad Marković.
He emphasized that journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed in Malta because of this affair. He pointed out that this is a very complex case, and that he has reported the leaders of Fersa to the court in Spain because of the controversial payments.
"They deceived me, and they also deceived the state of Montenegro," said Popović.
He emphasized that Fersa, as an investor, was brought to Montenegro on his initiative.
He said that he himself was targeted by the previous prosecution.
"When I gave a statement about all this to the Special Prosecutor's Office in 2018, I received information that they had started following me and that at that time they characterized me as a member of an alleged criminal group," Popović said.
He also stated that for more than a decade he has been the target of persecution orchestrated by "former powerful people, clearly eager to hide the truth about everything that happened."
Popović particularly pointed to the role of former union leader Danilo Popović and his daughter Milena, emphasizing that the investigation must focus on the payments they channeled, so as to see whose pockets the money ended up in.
DPS MP Nikola Rakočević said that this project still brings revenue to Montenegro and that this is the reason why all governments after 2020 have not initiated the procedure for terminating the contract. He proposed that Danilo and Milena Popović be heard by the committee.
He asked what services Fersa was offering four million euros for in order to reach a contract with the Government and so that the project could move forward.
Popović said that the contract existed and that he was ready to share everything he had found.
Jose Maria Roher, the chairman of the board of directors of Fersa, submitted a letter of intent for wind research and the construction of wind farms to the Montenegrin government back in 2007. The payment scheme for intermediaries (with names and figures) was sent by Fersa Montenegro director Milena Popović by email on December 15, 2007, along with the contract dated November 9, 2007, which Vanja Popović had previously discussed.
The scheme also included two people who, legally speaking, should not have been involved. Roher was supposed to receive two million, which indicated a conflict of interest. The other person was a long-time Montenegrin trade union official and Milena's father - Danilo Popović. Popović later publicly denied having anything to do with the payment scheme.
New Serbian Democracy MP Dejan Đurović asked Vladimir Popović to whom, as Fersa's representative in Montenegro at the time, he delivered the letter of intent - to Milo Đukanović or to the now deceased Željko Šturanović, who was Prime Minister in 2007.
Đurović also asked about the role of the Bemaks company in carrying out the works, as well as the role of businessman Tomislav Čelebić in the transactions.
Popović said that Čelebić sold his percentage to the company Cifideks, and that he had no knowledge related to Bemaks.
"Fersa sold something that is ours. They were convicted in Panama. Here they may think it is a banana state, but then how can we not resolve this," said the businessman.
He emphasized that the letter of intent was addressed to Šturanović and the then head of state, Filip Vujanović.
Popović confirmed that he received 20.000 euros in cash from Milena Popović, as part of the award for good logistics in Montenegro and ensuring the viability of the investment.
Committee chairman Dritan Abazović said that Popović's admission that he took the money was something that had never been heard before on investigative committees.
"Payments began in 2007. Everything is documented, and if it's not clear that this is a farce, then I don't know what is a farce. It is very important information that our judiciary was ready to accept Fersa's contracts with companies that do not exist in any register," said Abazović.
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