Koprivica: Nikolić did not provide evidence, but rather expressed suspicion that 206 people were registered on the voter list of other countries

State Secretary at the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) Petar Koprivica announced that Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) MP Andrija Nikolić Nikolić did not provide any evidence, but only expressed suspicion that 206 people were registered on the voter list of other countries.

Koprivica stated in a press release that the list submitted by Nikolić only contains the names and dates of birth of these individuals and one sentence expressing suspicion that they are registered on the voter list of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Yesterday, Nikolić, in his capacity as a citizen, gave a statement to the Regional Unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) in Nikšić and submitted a list of 206 voters who he reasonably suspects are registered in the voter list of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, and who, contrary to the law, exercise their right to vote in two countries.

Koprivica says that "the identical modus operandi as that of September last year on the eve of the elections in Podgorica is obvious."

"We remind you that at that time they initially claimed that there were 3.300 voters registered in the voter lists of the three states. After that, the list dropped from 3.300 to 2.300, and then from 2.300 to 1.910, and a detailed check determined that out of 1.910 persons, as many as 1.905 were registered in the voter list during the DPS government and that not a single person was registered in the voter list during the current government. Neither then, nor now, DPS has filed a single criminal report, although they claimed that they would do so, because of course, they have no basis for the same. Third, although the list with these names was submitted after the closure of the voter list, ministry officials conducted a detailed check and determined that out of 206 persons, over 90 percent were registered during the DPS government, or 186 of them, while 20 persons were registered in the voter list after 2020. "in accordance with the law, and predominantly due to reaching the age of majority," said Koprivica.

He added that the Ministry of Internal Affairs, nor any other state body or entity, may conduct checks on public portals of other countries.

"Because that would violate the Personal Data Protection Act. In this regard, we recall the AZLP Opinion No. 06-11-2731-4/21 of 29.4.2021, which states that the verification by the State Election Commission of whether a person with the right to vote in Montenegro is registered in the voter list of another country by inspecting the public portals of another country is in violation of the Personal Data Protection Act. Considering all of the above, we call on the DPS to immediately submit evidence collected in accordance with the law and in accordance with the AZLP Opinion from 2021 that these persons are illegally registered in the voter list or otherwise to stop political abuses. The time for labeling citizens, false accusations, intimidation and illegal registrations is over."

Koprivica said that the Ministry of Interior had previously requested information from the competent authorities of other countries about the alleged registration of certain persons in the electoral rolls of those countries, and that the competent authorities of those countries had not confirmed this information, because according to their legal systems, such information could not be provided.

"DPS knows this very well and that is precisely why it submits such lists of persons, allegedly registered in the voter lists of other countries, without a single piece of evidence based on the law, and after the voter list has been finalized, because otherwise, it would not have been another pre-election political performance in a row."

In accordance with the law, voters who have lost their right to vote due to death, loss of Montenegrin citizenship, and deregistration of their place of residence are removed from the voter list.

"Political constructions, attempts at media pressure and manipulation of the public will have no impact on our work. The Ministry remains open to any well-intentioned dialogue, but resolutely rejects attempts to retroactively conceal the responsibility of the former government for the state in which the system is found through already seen performances and statements. We also call on all entities not to violate laws, the opinion of the AZLP, and not to misuse the personal data of Montenegrin citizens. If DPS does not provide evidence, it will be confirmation that they have violated the Law on Personal Data Protection and the Opinion of the AZLP," said Koprivica.