Milatović "banned" higher ranks: Krapović on the head of state and events at the Supreme Command session

The fact that at the last session of the Supreme Command, decisions were made on the appointment, dismissal and promotion of members of the Army of Montenegro (AVCG) up to the rank of captain, while higher ranks were left for "additional analysis" - is the responsibility of the head of state Jakov Milatović, because they are also the prime minister Milojko Spajic (Movement Europe now) and the first man of the parliament Andrija Mandic (New Serbian Democracy) were ready to support all the proposals of the Minister of Defense.

This is what the Minister of Defense claims Dragan Krapović (Democrats).

Milatović announced the day before yesterday, after the session of the Defense and Security Council, that this body had made decisions on the appointment, dismissal and promotion of members of the Armed Forces of Montenegro up to the rank of captain, while higher ranks were "left for additional, more detailed analysis between the cabinets of the three presidents" (the state, the Parliament and the Government - which make up the "permanent composition" of the Council). Decisions made by the Council must be unanimous.

The President's Office did not respond to the editorial team's question yesterday as to why decisions were made only up to the rank of captain.

Decisions on appointment, dismissal and promotion in the Armed Forces of Montenegro are proposed by the Ministry, i.e. the head of that department.

In mid-January, Milatović submitted a proposal to the Constitutional Court for the assessment of the constitutionality of certain articles of the Law on the Armed Forces of Montenegro. The head of state, among other things, disputes Article 38, paragraph 1, items 2, 6, 7 and 9 - which relate to the competences of the Minister of Defense, i.e. that he makes decisions on the use of the army, proposes to the Supreme Command the appointment and dismissal of the Chief of the General Staff, and the appointment, promotion and dismissal of officers - claiming that these provisions are in direct contradiction with the highest legal act.

Krapović: Causing harm to the state

Krapović told "Vijesti" yesterday that he wanted to thank Spajić and Mandić for their "responsible attitude" towards the Ministry's proposals.

"Namely, like last time, both presidents (of the Government and the Parliament) were ready to adopt all proposed decisions, all promotions, appointments and dismissals, and in this way maximally assist the efficiency of the defense system and especially the smooth functioning of the Army," he stated.

The Minister of Defense said that, "unfortunately, this is still not the case" with Milatović, claiming that the president is causing increasing damage every day to "Montenegro's efforts to be a responsible member of the collective security system."

"... And our efforts to adequately respond to all the challenges (of which there are many) in these geopolitically turbulent times. Furthermore, if someone had told me that the President of the country would say after the Council session that the Council had adopted decisions on appointments, promotions and dismissals up to the rank of captain - I would not have believed him. However, this is not a joke, but a very serious reality and a very dangerous reality in which we live," he assessed.

Krapović appealed for "seriousness", bearing in mind that the Council is a strategic-level body - the highest possible rank - and that any micromanagement degrades the high command.

"... Especially when it is exposed publicly in the way we witnessed," he emphasized.

He pointed out that he was particularly pleased that the session adopted the report on the state of the Armed Forces of Montenegro for 2024, because, according to him, it listed "the abuses of the former Chief of General Staff." Zoran Lazarevic” and that, for the first time, the report is not a mere form without substance.

"Rather, it is exactly what my view of the situation in the Army is, which the Council shares with me because that is the only conclusion that can be drawn from the adoption of the report," claims the interlocutor.

He noted that a decision was also adopted on the participation of the Armed Forces of Montenegro units in missions and operations for this year, and that he raises the question:

"Why did we suffer damage and lose the opportunity to participate in the exercise in Greece, which hurt our own credibility unnecessarily? Let me remind you that Mr. Spajić and Mr. Mandić were ready to vote on this decision back in December, but Mr. Milatović did not allow such a thing. Also, Mr. Spajić and Mr. Mandić signed the decision weeks ago, but Milatović did not, and why - it is beyond me," he said.

Over 150 proposals, and 80 decisions

The Ministry of Defense told "Vijesti" yesterday that Krapović sent the Council 152 proposals for appointment, dismissal and regular promotion.

"... The Minister proposed that 68 officers be appointed to duty, of which 33 officers up to the rank of captain, and 35 above that rank. He proposed 41 officers for dismissal from duty, of which 15 officers were proposed for dismissal from duty up to the rank of captain, while 26 officers above the rank of captain were proposed for dismissal from duty," the newspaper wrote in its response.

It is alleged that Krapović proposed 43 officers for regular promotion, who on the last day of 2024 met the legally prescribed conditions for promotion to the immediately higher rank, and that of that number, 32 were proposed for promotion to the rank of captain, while 11 officers were proposed for regular promotion above that rank.

From that response it follows that the day before yesterday the Council made a decision on 80 out of 152 proposals for appointment, dismissal and regular promotion.

Friction

The Council session that was held the day before yesterday was a continuation of the session of that body that was interrupted on December 24th last year. The decisions that the Supreme Command voted on yesterday were not adopted at that session, because the agenda was not adopted at that time.

The reason for this, as "Vijesti" wrote, was disagreements over a letter sent by the suspended commander of the Navy of the Armed Forces of Montenegro. Darko Vuković allegedly sent to the head of state, in which he claimed that Krapović was mobbing him, that is, that his rank was not respected when entering the Ministry of Defense building and when arranging seating at meetings.

Vuković was removed from duty on December 23, and on the same day disciplinary proceedings were initiated against him on suspicion that, contrary to the order of his superior, the Chief of the General Staff, he had addressed Milatović directly, in a letter.

Milatović's cabinet then assessed that Vuković's suspension represented a humiliation for the Army, while its first man Miodrag Vuksanović stated that the "first sailor" violated the principle of subordination by addressing the head of state and that therefore the removal was legal.

The Government's Appeals Commission rejected as unfounded Vuković's appeal against Krapović's decision to remove him from office at the end of January.

"Vijesti" wrote at the end of February that the head of Milatović's cabinet Ivana Pejović The Military Disciplinary Commission of the Ministry of Defense, which is conducting the proceedings against Vuković, stated that he had not addressed the president officially. She also stated that, apart from the usual oral conversation that the two had when the head of state visited the Navy (on November 24 last year), there was no official written communication. On the other hand, Milatović proposed a letter from Vuković “addressed to the President of Montenegro” as an item on the agenda of the Council session, which was adjourned on December 24.

The Bigović case

Dragan Krapović also recalled the case of the appointment of Milan Bigović to the position of acting director of the Intelligence and Security Directorate, and the attack on the Ministry of Defense at the time, as he said, with the thesis that (Bigović) had not been dismissed by the Council from his previous position where his mandate had expired.

"Of course, the dismissal is a formality because Colonel Bigović's term has expired. However, although it was signed immediately in September last year by Mr. Spajić and Mr. Mandić, Mr. Milatović kept the dismissal in the cabinet, believe it or not, for a full 155 days, and finally, on March 2, 2026, he signed the dismissal and sent the decision to the Ministry," he said.

Krapović says that the “highpoint of the comedy” in this case is that Bigović was officially dismissed from his previous position on September 29, 2025 - “the same day the decision reached Mr. Milatović's office.”

Milatović's office did not respond to "Vijesti"'s question about why the president waited five months to sign the document on Bigović's dismissal.

Krapović: Milatović is blocking reforms

The Minister of Defense noted that on the day of the Council session, Milatović, "in addition to causing unprecedented damage to the defense system," returned the Law on Internal Affairs to the Parliament and thus, according to the Defense Minister, continued to block reforms "wherever he can and wherever he can."

"However, if he thinks he will succeed in stopping the reforms - he is sorely mistaken," Krapović assessed.

The amendments to the Law on Internal Affairs were criticized by the opposition, civil society, and some of the authorities. Critics warned that certain provisions of the law provide scope for political abuse of the police, as well as the removal of "unsuitable" officers without conducting disciplinary proceedings.