Vuksanović: The "Telekom" affair is a symbol of the corruption of the former regime, it must have its epilogue before the domestic judiciary as well

The "Telekom" affair represents a symbol of the corruption of the former regime and must have its epilogue before the domestic judiciary, announced today Nebojša Vuksanović, advisor to the President of Montenegro Jakov Milatović for domestic policy and economic development.

"After the announcement of a possible court epilogue in the 'Telekom' affair, instead of justice, the public received a media conflict between the judiciary and the prosecution. This is unacceptable. The affair, which was adjudicated before international courts and represents a symbol of the corruption of the former regime, must also have its epilogue before the domestic judiciary," Vuksanović stressed in a statement.

He added that in 2020, citizens overthrew a decades-old regime to abolish the captive state and establish the rule of law.

"Six years later, they are disappointed with the distribution of justice - key actors are either not prosecuted, or are arrested and released without solid evidence. Jobs started during the former regime, such as the concession for the Montenegrin and Sveti Stefan airports, although criticized, continue according to the old matrix. This destroys the trust of citizens and feeds a dangerous narrative: 'Everyone is the same.' It is particularly worrying that today, instead of answering questions about the 'Telekom' affair, about the 'first million' and offshore companies before the competent institutions, the former president is giving lessons on patriotism through the media," said Vuksanović.

He stated that such behavior is the height of hypocrisy, considering the decades of degradation of the institutions he left behind.

"The state has an obligation to show that it has the strength to bring high-level corruption cases like Telekom to an end - legally, professionally and without protecting political legacy. Any attempt to end this case through statute of limitations or procedural maneuvers is a direct blow to the trust of citizens and Montenegro's European path," said Vuksanović.

The criminal complaint filed by the Network for the Affirmation of the Non-Governmental Sector (MANS) in 2019 in the "Telekom" case, in addition to the former President and Prime Minister of Montenegro Milo Đukanović and his sister Ana Đukanović, also included former Telekom representative Oleg Obradović, "Eurofond" Veselin Barović, "Monte Adria" company Damjan Hosta, and "Mađar Telekom" Tomaš Morvai.

The state-owned company Crnogorski Telekom was sold to "Mađar Telekom" in 2005 for 114 million, of which 3 million were allocated as a subsidy for the purchase of shares of minority shareholders. In March 2014, the Embassy of the United States of America (USA) officially confirmed that its Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had found evidence that there was bribery in Montenegro in the case of the privatization of Telekom. In April 2015, the prosecution received documentation from the USA. From that 2015 until the beginning of 2019, special prosecutors explained that they were waiting for the translation of that documentation...