Government of Montenegro rejects illegal offers – DPM Koprivica emphasises uncompromising fight against corruption

Deputy Prime Minister for Political System, Judiciary, and Anti-Corruption Momo Koprivica informed the public about an illegal offer made to the Government by a company linked to organised crime groups, through a foreign lawyer. The offer involved the processing and purchase of confiscated cigarettes, with promises of financial gain for the state budget.

Deputy Prime Minister Koprivica stated that the Government of Montenegro rejected this offer and immediately referred the matter to the relevant judicial authorities.

Such offers are unacceptable as they are completely contrary to the laws of our country, Koprivica said. The fight against corruption and illegal activities is a priority of the 44th Government of Montenegro, and to anyone who thinks they can manipulate the state, we send a clear message: this is not a Government that will allow it.

Koprivica further emphasised that all similar proposals, without legal basis in Montenegro, are doomed to fail.

Legal proceedings have already been initiated, and relevant evidence has been submitted to the Prosecutor's Office, the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption, and relevant security agencies.

Integrity and ethics, as well as our duty to citizens, demand a decisive response to any attempt to break the law, the Deputy Prime Minister said. He pointed out that such actions violate the law on excise duties, intellectual property regulations, customs and criminal laws, as well as anti-corruption laws.

Deputy Prime Minister Koprivica underscored that the Government of Montenegro has zero tolerance for criminal attempts and will respond decisively. Montenegro is not a lawless playground, he concluded.

This case, as Koprivica noted, demonstrates the lengths to which organised crime groups are willing to go to protect their interests, accustomed to collusion and lawlessness from the past. The Government remains committed to the uncompromising fight against corruption, treating all criminal threats with the seriousness they deserve.

Koprivica concluded by stating that such processes, beyond their legal outcomes, serve as a reminder to the public of the importance of reporting any acts related to corruption, as it is the greatest threat to the fundamental principles of law and the economy of any country.