Drakić: There are more than 10 photos of the jewelry in the case files about Đukanović's alleged watch collection

The case files on the alleged watch collection of former head of state Milo Đukanović contain more than 10 photos of that jewelry, said Dušan Drakić, acting director of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (ASK), during a session of the Anti-Corruption Committee.

He said this, responding to a question from the president of that parliamentary body, Jevto Eraković, whether it was true that "someone used photomontage to adjust someone's watch on their wrist, and those adjusted watches were the cause of major political discussions and major media and politically organized campaigns against certain individuals in this country."

He asked Drakić if he had any information that these were photomontages and "who will be held accountable for the chase if it turns out to be true."

Drakić explained that there are multiple photographs in the files - around 15, and that the disputed photograph was allegedly made from two, or rather, it was created by merging two photographs into one.

He also said that Đukanović's lawyer requested access to the files, which he was granted.

"We are now resolving something that should have been resolved in 2018," said Drakić, referring to the Agency's handling of the report regarding the expensive watches worn by Đukanović.

He added that "the former management was talking about how the decision was just around the corner, coming here to the board and saying that, but not doing anything."

Laković: Why have you been silent for years?

MP Miodrag Laković (PES) also reacted to Eraković's questions:

"Mr. Eraković, I find your political stance interesting that after seven or eight years since that so-called affair, you express this kind of reservation and suspicion that it was a photomontage, and as a political entity you did not find it appropriate to then announce to the Montenegrin public - where at that time the average minimum wage was 222 euros - that your official really does not wear a watch that costs 130.000 euros, to explain that this is not true, but you kept silent the whole time and waited for the Agency's actions. Now that the procedure is nearing its end, you have remembered that it was a photomontage. This is irresponsible towards the Montenegrin public, if you suspected that it was a photomontage and that it was planted, you had an obligation to announce this to the public and to distance yourself from these allegations," said Laković.

Eraković replied that no one should defend anyone, but that the facts are the only valid ones.

"The only thing that is true is that one of the images was created by merging two images, that it was edited several times and thus preserved, but we are not the judicial body here that will make the decision. Mr. Laković, you worked in the security sector, you know how sensitive it is to accuse someone of something if it is not true, but let's leave it to see what the experts say," Eraković replied.

MP Maja Vučelić asked Drakić about his media allegations that one of the Council members had requested that the decision on Đukanović's revolving card be withdrawn, to which he replied that he would not talk about names.

Leković: The Agency's Recovery

On the agenda of today's session were reports on the work of the Agency for 2023, 2024, and the first quarter of 2025.

Drakić said that in 2023 they had the largest number of reports on income and assets of public officials, more than 13.000, in 2024 more than 11.000, and in the first quarter of 2025 more than 8.000.

"The optimal level of public officials should be reduced," he said, adding that reports must be "substantially controlled" and that "illegal enrichment must be controlled."

According to him, 1.652 report checks were carried out by "four to five people." He also said that 1.752 violations were recorded due to delays, failure to provide or incorrect data, and more than 3.000 misdemeanor proceedings were initiated due to technical errors.

"When it comes to whistleblowers, 2023 reports were received in 190, of which four cases were found to be endangering the public interest. In 2024, 63 reports were received, and 25 were found to be endangering the public interest. In the first quarter of 2025, 25 reports were received, and 46 were resolved, including old ones. A total of 231 reports were resolved, and 232 are still in the process," said Drakić.

The President of the Agency's Council, Pavle Ćupić, stated that 11 sessions have been held since the election of the new Council 36 months ago, while the legal minimum was 22. "Sub-legal acts, the Statute, the Rules of Procedure, the Rulebook on Systematization, the decision on the salary supplement for employees, the decision on the variable part of the salary, the rules on the work of the Agency and the draft budget for 2025 have been adopted...", said Ćupić.

Laković said that the task before the Agency is "difficult and complex" and that it needs to move from technical to operational activities through amendments to the law and strengthening of capacities. He stressed that the Agency must satisfy the public's need for the disclosure of illegally acquired assets related to public office.

He pointed out that misdemeanor charges are of a technical nature, and that they are partially meaningless "when we see how much the costs of misdemeanor proceedings are."

Momčilo Leković (Democrats) said that there is no longer any selectivity in the work of the Agency and that now every week one can hear that various officials and parties have been punished.

"I believe you have a lot of work to do and that you have only just begun the healing of this institution," he pointed out.

MP Jelena Kljajević (NSD) said that she firmly believes that the Agency will solve part of the problems it inherited.

"We all know how the Agency behaved in the previous period, what the fines were, what kind of reckoning it served."

She added that fines are no longer being imposed "for the sake of form because we did not report the meter-long karst that we inherited from our great-grandfathers," while at the same time promoting examples of "illegal enrichment, huge real estate."

MP Vučelić also asked about the status of fulfilling the recommendations of the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), to which Drakić replied that the Agency had "proposed a plan for a solution".

He pointed out that the content of the new laws - on the Government, civil servants and employees, public procurement, free access to information and prevention of corruption - will determine whether the recommendations are met.