Zdenka Popović: Čedo Popović grew up while DPS was in power

Democratic Montenegro MP Zdenka Popović called for "the investigation into Čed Popović to be completed."

She said that the attempt to connect with Čed Popović was "a political hoax inherent in the profiles of those who say it."

"Who is Čedo Popović in the political history of the DPS? He is not a man who was born yesterday. He is a man who grew up while the DPS controlled every lever of state and local power. He is a man whose buildings were built while institutions looked the other way. He is a man who was free, protected and untouchable while municipalities, the police, the prosecutor's office, the courts, the Coastal Zone and the protection of cultural property were managed by cadres of the former regime," Popović said.

She recalled that in 2015, police found 40 workers at the construction site of the Delfin Hotel, including 20 Albanian citizens, 17 of whom were without residence permits, and that the media reported that construction was taking place without a building permit and despite a ban on inspections.

"And what happened then? Nothing. There was no political upheaval, no moral panic, no hysteria from the system's on-duty defenders. Today, when he was arrested and sent to pretrial detention on suspicion of illegal construction and beach filling, they are suddenly trying to wash their hands of the man they protected for a decade and a half. That's the difference between their Montenegro and ours, with them he was protected, with us he is accountable."

Popovic said that "Delfin" is not an exception, but the rule.

"In the 'Carine' affair, Miomir Mugoša sold city land to Popović for 2,5 million euros without a tender, even though it was worth 13,5 million, while the indictment stated that the damage amounted to 6,7 million euros. Mugoša was acquitted, but in 2025 the Supreme Court found that the law had been violated in favor of the defendant. This means that the deal was so controversial that even after so many years, the top court had to conclude that the system was bent in favor of Čed Popović. In the case of Južni Jadran, Popović acquired a majority stake for around half a million marks, and then in 2008 he sold the entire company's assets to his own 'Carine' for 11,5 million euros, even though the state appraiser estimated it at 30 million. In addition, taxes of around 900.000 euros were not paid, and the Ministry of Finance formally exempted 'Carine' from that tax in 2017. This is a textbook example of the DPS economy, take cheap, transfer it to yourself, devalue it, don't even pay what you have to, and the system will eventually release you," said Popović.

She also said that in the Lazaret case, Popović sold the complex to a Russian buyer for 12 million euros, even though the Administrative Court concluded that the transaction was illegal because the state owned the land.

"In the case of Kokaprodukt, small shareholders warned that 101.448 square meters of property were taken over through a disputed debt of 926.051 euros. I have nothing to do with the DPS tycoons. But he has everything to do with the DPS. And let the people remember just one sentence. While the DPS was in power, Čedo Popović built, bought, copied, filled and expanded, when the DPS fell, Čedo Popović began to answer for the first time. I demand and insist that the investigation into Čedo Popović go to the end. To every person in the system, and especially to those who were either silent or reacted late," said Popović.