Zeković: I never had contact with Ismailov, Adžić demoted me, my presence does not mean that I am a member of PES

The Secretary of the National Security Council, Miroslav Zeković, announced today that he never had any contact with Telaman Ismailov, and that he was demoted by the former Minister of the Interior, Filip Adžić from the Citizens' Movement URA, because, as he said, he had been unassigned for over 18 months.

He also said that he was mobbed and put under great pressure by the current director of the Directorate for Administrative Affairs, Citizenship and Foreigners in the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP), Radovan Popović, against whom, as he claims, he filed a lawsuit for mobbing, and that the court proceedings pending before the Basic Court in Podgorica.

Telman Ismailov is a Kazakh billionaire whose extradition is sought by Russia, and he was granted asylum in Montenegro.

Zeković reacted to the fact that Miloš Konatar - the head of the parliamentary club of the Citizens' Movement URA, said in the Načisto show that was broadcast last night on TV Vijesti that the signature on the document granting Ismailov asylum in Montenegro was given by the director of the Directorate, who is now an official of the Movement Europe now (PES) and to perform a responsible function in the security sector in this government. Konatar said that it was Miroslav Zeković, the secretary of the National Security Council.

Zeković also reacted to the fact that the URA submitted a photo from the PES premises today showing Miroslav Zeković in the company of Prime Minister and PES leader Milojko Spajić and said that Zeković is a member of PES.

"By mentioning my name in last night's show and today in the media, it is an attempt to harm me personally and professionally, without going into the material and legal reasons for granting asylum for the said person, and is obviously aimed at causing a political effect and leading the public into real and legal delusion, which is trying to undermine my personal and professional integrity and harm me," Zeković pointed out in the announcement.

He added that from May 20, 2021 to May 20, 2022, during the 42nd Government of Montenegro, he performed the duties of Acting General Director for Administrative Affairs, Citizenship and Foreigners, where he signed dozens of a decision approving or denying international protection in accordance with the norms of international and national law.

"The competence of the Director General is clearly established by the Law, the Decree and the Rules on the Internal Organization and Systematization of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and I would like to point out here that I had the authority to sign all decisions submitted by the Directorates, which determine the factual situation, and based on that In the specific case, the former minister Sergej Sekulović and I were familiar with the content and explanation of the decision, for the first time, when signing the said decision, as in the process of approving the said international protection, the public is excluded, so even I, as the immediate superior, do not participate nor is the law obliging me to suggest or influence the very outcome of the decision. Did any of the URE politicians have any benefit, from perhaps providing some other protection, bearing in mind that at that time their personnel covered the most responsible positions in the security sector and that the same had data that is not available when deciding on asylum, remains questionable, because I had no contact with Telaman Ismailov, neither then nor now, and the mention of my name is a populist diversion of attention from the essence in order to try to cover up that they their individuals had personal contacts with him," said Zeković.

He said that his attendance at, as he said, the "meeting of citizens" at which Spajić was speaking, does not mean that he is a member of PES, but, as he added, "is a matter of curiosity and getting to know the Program and goals of the newly founded Movement Europe now, since my professional involvement in the MUP was not related to whether I was a member of the party, but to the acquired work experience, which in the security system amounts to over 30 years".

"Finally, I would like to point out that during the 43rd Government of Montenegro, I was demoted by the former minister Adžić, that I was unassigned for more than 18 months, as were many colleagues, who all have common knowledge of regulations and practices, that I was exposed great pressure and mobbing by the current director of the Directorate for Administrative Affairs, Citizenship and Foreigners, another former minister, against whom I filed a lawsuit for mobbing, whose court proceedings are ongoing before the Basic Court in Podgorica, so I perceive this as a continuation of pressure on my many years of honest work and attitude towards work," Zeković concluded.