Money for a revolution could come from Latvia
Montenegro investigates the channels of funds on account of the opposition.
The Montenegrin authorities acknowledged that jointly with the financial intelligence of Latvia are investigating the possible use of the banks of this Baltic country to Finance a coup attempt in Montenegro in November 2016. In creation of criminal community for money received from abroad money and their use for political purposes in Montenegro accused the Bosnian businessman and one of the leaders of the Pro-Russian “Democratic front”. With details — the correspondent of “Kommersant” in the Balkans Gennady Sysoev.
That Podgorica participates in the international investigation into the “financing of individuals and political parties in Montenegro”, said the end of last week, the government office for prevention of money laundering and financing of terrorism. They explained that the investigation is being conducted jointly with the financial intelligence of Latvia. Verified, in particular, the information that the “money of one Latvian Bank in national ownership, could be used for illegal political purposes in Montenegro in 2016”. Other details of investigation in the management of the “Kommersant” refused to report, citing the confidentiality of information and fears to hinder the investigation.
Financing from abroad of the attempted putsch in Montenegro during the parliamentary elections of 16 November 2016, planned to prevent the accession to NATO, emphasised last week by Reuters. According to his post on may 30, the Latvian authorities are investigating the possible use of its banks as channels for financing anticipated operations of Russia’s interference in the politics of other countries. The report reveals that the investigation began after Riga has received a corresponding signal from the United States. Reuters this information was confirmed by the foreign Minister of Latvia Edgars rinkēvičs and the Minister of economy Given Reizniece-Ozola. Although Ministers did not specify what cases are under investigation, three high-ranking Latvian official said on condition of anonymity that we are talking about the movement of funds from Russia through a Latvian Bank to support a coup attempt in Montenegro. Press Secretary of the President Dmitry Peskov denied information obtained by Reuters.
Meanwhile, in Montenegro against a group of persons already charged with creating a criminal Association with the aim of money received from abroad money. According to investigators, the head of the criminal group are Bosnian businessman, Momir nikolić and one of the leaders of the Pro-Russian opposition “Democratic front” nebojša Medojević. The trial of their case has recently begun in Podgorica.
According to information leaked from the Montenegrin Special Prosecutor assigned to the case, in 2016, on the eve of parliamentary elections on account of Momir nikolić from abroad received about €1 million, mostly from Latvian and Lithuanian banks. In particular, given information about two suspicious transfers: €170 thousand from Lithuania and €90 thousand from Latvia. Investigators alerted that Mr. Nikolic in recent years declared annual income of just €2 thousand from the Baltic States Received the money, he called the funds received from the sale of the house, and paid construction work, but the documentary evidence that would result, is not presented.
Officially, Spectaculator Montenegro neither confirms nor denies information on obtaining a suspect Nikolic money through banks in Latvia and Lithuania. Nevertheless, charges against him and nebojša Madievich the prosecution said that they have created criminal group was engaged in money received from abroad money used to Finance the activists of the “Democratic front” ahead of the parliamentary elections of 16 November 2016.
Similar allegations in relation to two other leaders of the “Impronta” Andrieu Mandic and Milan Knežević, a process which (and groups of ten or more persons) more than six months passes in the Higher court of Podgorica. A key charge against them — participation in the coup attempt on election day to eliminate the then Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, the seizure of power in the country and prevent it from joining NATO. If the funding of the Montenegrin opposition through Baltic banks be proved, it may become an important argument of the prosecution in this trial, which in Montenegro has been dubbed the “trial of the century”.