Statement by Deputy Prime Minister for Political System, Justice and Anti-Corruption Momo Koprivica

At today’s session, the Montenegrin Cabinet, acting on the proposal of the National Council for the Fight against Corruption, decided that the State, as the injured party, will initiate proceedings against the perpetrators of criminal offenses in the case of the privatization of Telekom Montenegro, in the capacity of a subsidiary prosecutor, pursuant to Article 59 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

To this end, the Protector of Property and Legal Interests of Montenegro, as the legal representative of the State, has been tasked with undertaking the necessary actions to pursue prosecution.

Justice must not expire, and the State must not relent. Telekom is not merely a case – it is a fight for the future, for a system of integrity founded on the rule of law and trusted by both the domestic and international public.

By acting as a subsidiary prosecutor, the State stands on the side of truth, and truth does not expire. The facts will be established regarding how an offer that deviated from the tender requirements was accepted, how part of the proceeds from the sale of state-owned shares was redirected to minority shareholders – namely, the accused owners of investment funds – whose shares ended up in the hands of the purchaser of the State’s capital. Clarification will also be provided on the circumstances and conditions under which consultancy contracts were concluded, whether consultancy services were ever delivered, and how such contracts were paid for with exorbitant sums of money. Furthermore, the truth and irrefutable facts will be established in relation to the Deferred Prosecution Agreement concluded in New York, United States, with the accused Straub, Balogh, and Morvai.

This move by the Government is a clear demonstration that the State is not a passive observer but an active defender of justice and the rule of law – one of the key pillars of Montenegro’s policies, alongside European integration and economic progress. Despite obstacles, obstructions, and deliberate abuses of the past, accountability must be established for undermining the national interest, and the perpetrators of crimes that damaged the State and its assets must be brought before justice. Through this approach, Montenegro not only acknowledges the abuses of the past but also demonstrates its determination to rectify them and see the process through to the end, thereby strengthening the rule of law.

As the injured party, the State is exercising its legal right to seek justice and ensure accountability. The Government welcomes the proposal of the Chief Special Prosecutor to initiate proceedings for determining disciplinary responsibility against the former case handler, and expresses full support for the current Supreme State Prosecutor, the Chief Special Prosecutor, and the Special State Prosecutor’s Office in their ongoing fight against organized crime and corruption.