Šaranović: The status of a candidate for acting director of UP can only be held by an official that I propose

The status of a candidate for acting director of the Police Administration can only be held by an officer that I propose, said Minister of Internal Affairs Danilo Šaranović.

He was a guest at the RTCG and said that although the Law explicitly states that the Government elects the Acting Director of the Police Directorate on the proposal of the Minister of the Interior, the Government responded to his proposal to announce a public call.

"Part of the public did not differentiate between a public invitation and an advertisement. The public invitation is a reflection of the transparency of the MUP since the formation of this government. I proclaimed transparency as one of the key priorities in the work of the MUP," said Saranović.

He also said that he does not believe that the Government will not accept his proposal.

"We can't play with names, the bottom line is to find the best candidate".

MP Miodrag Laković of the Europe Now Movement (PES) said that it would be better if there were more candidates for acting director of the Police Directorate.

"I suggest that the minister consider proposing more candidates. There are no legal restrictions on that. The government can consider more candidates. I think that if the goal is to advance reforms, then the acting director of the Police Directorate will be elected," Laković said.

Šaranović replied that he believed that Laković knew the Law on Internal Affairs in detail.

"We must all take care of preserving legal security and strict compliance with the law. According to that law, it is not possible to propose several candidates. We cannot have more candidates. Not because of my will, but because the law explicitly suggests it," said the Minister of the Interior.

Member of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) Ivan Vuković said that it remains to be seen how the court will appreciate the legal basis that Saranović invoked when removing Zoran Brđanin from the head of the Police Directorate.

He asked Šaranović if he would resign, especially if the court reinstated Brđanin.

"The issue of dismissal is a legal quandary, you either fire someone or not. You cannot fire him, but only after seven days. The law does not recognize a public advertisement, and then you set aside five days for it. In five days, should we elect the best police officer? At the same time, it is a public advertisement, which means that other people from state bodies can also apply if they have work experience. The difference is between an internal and a public advertisement," said Vuković, RTCG reports.

He added that Prime Minister Milojko Spajić asked the minister for a "list of candidates".

"All this is not aimed at improving the system, but is the result of the struggle for political power," said Vuković.

Šaranović replied that criminal groups would benefit from his resignation, bearing in mind what has been initiated in Montenegro. He said that according to the law, a police officer can apply for acting police director.

Answering the question of what if Brđanin wins again in court, Šaranović said that he cannot interpret the decisions of the parliament. He said that the parliamentary committee rejected the police director's report, and that he, as a minister, submitted a proposal for dismissal to the government commission.

"I am here to respect the law. I strictly respect the normative framework in which I operate," Saranović said.

He said that there can only be one candidate - but he also spoke with the prime minister about several police officers who could be acting directors.

Vuković said that the minister's actions go beyond the scope of the legal norm. He said that the minister, in conclusion, should submit a list of all registered candidates to the Government.

"The minister, here we are now hearing, is acting differently from that conclusion," said Vuković.

He repeated that the minister should say whether he will resign and what will happen if the prime minister does not accept his proposals.

Šaranović asked Vuković if he would resign from the position of deputy, if the court rejects Brđanin's possible lawsuit.

"I will not resign because it is not my responsibility," said Vuković.

Šaranović said that as a minister he is committed to respecting the constitution and the law.

"You see everything through the party's interest, and my party's interest is the public interest. You don't understand what transparency means," Saranović said.

He said that potential candidates have the possibility to answer on the polygraph about possible connections with political groups or criminal clans.

"It is proof of a positive precedent. I will do everything to ensure that we never have police directors in Sky applications again. We will not have a Sky director again, I guarantee you. This story, you know where it came from. We hit the strongest clan and that's reason, and I will do everything I can to preserve the integrity of the internal affairs authorities," Saranović said.

Laković said that if Brđanin had been the director of the police before 2020 and had been dismissed, it would be illusory for him to file a lawsuit.

"Because then it was known who decides, and that everything ends with one call. Everything that is happening now shows a shift because we see the democracy of the process now," Laković said, reports the RTCG portal.

He said that in the decision on the dismissal of Brđanin, he does not see the possibility that the court will cancel the decision on the dismissal again, and if that happens, the Government will take a position on it.

Vuković said that the situation in the security sector is chaotic, despite Saranović's claims. This, he emphasizes, is evidenced by the recent session of the Security Committee.

"The minister is nervous because he sees the kind of problem he has gotten himself and his party into," said Vuković.

He claims that it was Democratic Montenegro that was mentioned in the Sky application, to which Minister Šaranović said that it was a blatant lie.

Šaranović said that it is well known who is on the Sky app.

Vuković also said that he was surprised that Laković was talking about the situation in the police before 2020 and criticizing it, when Laković was an important police official before 2020.

Laković said that a month before each competition in the time before 2020, it was known who would be the head of the police, and there were no lawsuits. He said that many policemen worked honorably, but some got involved in dubious business, as well as cigarette smuggling, because of which they acquired millions of assets.

"Sky applications also show us that. I haven't been in the police for nine years. I'm shocked when I see what the service has integrated at all levels," Laković said.

Šaranović told Vuković that he would not resign from the position of minister, and he said that he was free to convey this to (former police official) Zoran Lazović. He stated that because of his actions as a minister, there has been progress in the fight against crime, and that this is why there is nervousness in the circles of organized crime.

He advised Vuković to better read the law on internal affairs.

"There can only be one candidate for police director, based on the proposal of the Minister of Internal Affairs," Šaranović announced.

Vuković said that the Democrats are trying to politically control the Montenegrin police and thereby endanger progress on the road to the EU.

"Three and a half years have passed since the change of government and the man is still talking about DPS," said Vuković.

Šaranović replied that the DPS left chaos in the institutions.

Laković said that he does not see the issue of the election of the head of the police as an obstacle for relations in the ruling alliance. He said that he cannot predict what will happen at the Government session, but he assumes that there will be enough responsibility to choose the best candidate.