Jelena Perović, director of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (ASK), was arrested today.
Video: Balša Rudović
Officers of the Special Police Department (SPO) took her out of the ASK building, and around 14.40:XNUMX p.m. she was escorted to the premises of the SPO.
Perović had a coat draped over her arms when she was arrested and taken to the SPO.
She left the ASK building earlier today, accompanied by the SPO officer and lawyer Nikola Martinović.
Video: Balša Rudović
The Special State Prosecutor's Office (SDT) officially announced that Perović was arrested.
"After searching the office and the official vehicle, by order of the Special State Prosecutor's Office, the officers of the Special Police Department detained JP, the director of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption, due to the grounds of suspicion that she committed the prolonged criminal offense of abuse of official position during the past year and until April of this year. The suspect will be brought in for questioning within the legal term," the SDT statement reads.
According to unofficial information from "Vijesti", SPO officers, among other things, seized documentation related to the alleged abuse of an official vehicle, and Perović was brought to witness the search of her official BMW car, after which they returned to the ASK building.
It was confirmed to "Vijesti" earlier today from several sources that Perović was arrested in an operation by the SPO, and on the order of the SDT.
Video: Boris Pejović
According to unofficial information from KAS, SPO officials requested and presented part of the Agency's documentation at the time when Perović was in charge.
The source states that the SPO requested financial reports as well as all minutes from the sessions of the KAS Council.
SPO officers entered the ASK building this morning with a search warrant.
SPO previously blocked the building and conducted a search.
Several cases against Jelena Perović were established in the SDT.
The latest investigation was opened after the Ministry of Finance submitted to the SDT the report of the Directorate for Budget Inspection, according to which Perović wrote herself overtime and variables, for which she received almost 13.500 euros contrary to the Law on Salaries of Employees in the Public Sector and additional more than 8.700 euros for work in the Working Group for determining the list of public officials.
According to the data from the minutes of the budget inspection, for the period from January to June last year, Perović paid the members of the former Council at least 10.000 euros more than what is prescribed by law.
Perović wrote herself overtime and variables for March as well, and she refused to follow the order of the budget inspectors and revoke that decision.
Thousands of kilometers at the expense of citizens
Since May of last year, SDT has also been investigating whether the director of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption, Jelena Perović, abused her official position by using official cars outside the regulations.
"In February of this year, the NGO Network for the Affirmation of the Non-Governmental Sector filed a criminal complaint against the director of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption, for the criminal offense of abuse of official position. The investigation is ongoing, and the data, notifications and evidence necessary for making decisions", is the official response of SDT to "Vijesta", which is signed by the prosecutor's spokesperson Vukas Radonjić.
At the beginning of February 2023, MANS filed a criminal complaint against the director of ASK on the suspicion that she abused her official position in order to benefit herself and others.
As it was announced at the time, the MANS Research Center discovered that the director of ASK made an illegal decision regarding the use of the vehicle fleet of that institution, so she assigned herself and her assistant Nina Paović two passenger vehicles owned by the Agency for permanent use (24 hours). .
They emphasized that the disputed decision was made contrary to "the Government Regulation on the conditions and manner of using vehicles owned by Montenegro, which prescribes which public officials can have the privilege of permanent use of state-owned vehicles".
"These are not the director of ASK and her assistant, so there is a well-founded suspicion that the decision in question was made with the aim of obtaining illegal benefits," MANS emphasized at the time.
The regulation stipulates that the President of Montenegro, the President and Vice-Presidents of the Assembly, the Prime Minister and members of the Government, the Presidents of the Supreme and Constitutional Courts, the Supreme and Special State Prosecutors, as well as the Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms have the possibility of permanent use of an official vehicle.
The regulation on the use of means of transport owned by Montenegro also defines that the permanent use of vehicles can be granted to persons who are under special protection measures, based on the assessment of the authority responsible for security affairs.
Previously, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) and the National Security Agency (ANB) responded that a security assessment was not done for Perović, which is in accordance with the Regulation, a condition for her to be able to use the vehicle 24 hours a day.
At that time, the Agency accused MANS of twisting the facts and constructing affairs, stating that everything is being done in accordance with Montenegrin laws. It is added that "considering that it is obvious from the address of MANS that the movement of the director of ASK is being monitored and recorded illegally, it is understandable to fear for her safety".
According to last year's "Vijesti" research, Perović and Paović traveled more than 2022 kilometers in official cars in just one month, in September 6.800.
Based on travel orders, it can be seen that, for example, in September 2022, Perović traveled over 4.200 kilometers, and Paović traveled over 2.600 kilometers. That month, the director also used a state vehicle for an official trip to Slovenia. Eurosuper prices then ranged from 1,26 to 1,39 euros, and a liter of Eurodiesel ranged from 1,56 to 1,58 euros.
In other months, this consumption is significantly lower, so it ranged from less than 1.000 in March 2022 to 2.200 kilometers in December of the same year for the director. At that time, we did not receive any answers from the Agency about the monthly fuel costs.
Analyzing the travel orders from the Agency's website, it can be seen that the vehicle used by the director traveled 120 kilometers per day on the territory of Podgorica alone.
Changing the plates, tinting the windows...
Perović and the employees of that institution are under pressure from public officials, part of the media and certain non-governmental organizations while driving in the official BMW 318. This is the reason why last year in May they asked the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) for permission to use official registration plates. change the markings to civilian ones, but also darken the windows of the expensive state car.
The decision of the Ministry of Interior, which gave consent to change license plates and darken the windows of the Agency's cars, was received by the Network for the Affirmation of the Non-Governmental Sector (MANS), in accordance with the Law on Free Access to Information, and was recently published by "Vijesti".
The Ministry of Internal Affairs assessed that "constant pressure on the Agency by public officials, other persons, part of the media and certain non-governmental organizations" is a justified reason that the marking on the plate of the official BMW 318 does not contain the abbreviation CG or MN.
Report due to abuse of official position, threats and suspension of trade unionists
At the end of last year, the trade union organization ASK filed a criminal complaint against Perović with the SDT, claiming that he abuses his position, threatens the employees and members of that union, accuses them of collaborating with MANS, and in retaliation suspends them in turn.
This, among other things, was stated in the application by the president of the Trade Union Organization ASK Dušan Drakić.
Previously, Drakić filed a complaint with the Police Directorate, because he and his colleagues were prevented from entering the premises of the Agency, approved for the work of the Trade Union Organization.
Among other things, as Drakić stated in his report to the SDT, Perović allegedly claims that "the criminal complaint filed by the Trade Union Organization is identical to the criminal complaint previously filed by the non-governmental organization MANS and that this is material evidence that the data has been stored for two years amounts from the Agency, as well as that there is a direct connection between the NGO MANS and the Trade Union Organization, and that the application was submitted for financial and interest reasons".
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