January 22, 2019 - Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic dismissed claims from businessman and owner of the Atlas Group Dusko Knezevic who said in the previous days that he had donated €200,000 to Djukanovic in the pre-election period. But, he did not deny that Knezevic was the financier of the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists.
In the first appearance before journalists since Knezevic charged him publicly, Montenegro's president did not deny that Knezevic gave money to the ruling party but rejected the amount reported by Knezevic.
Responding to the journalist's question about a video clip on which Slavoljub Stijepović, a DPS senior official took over the envelope from Knezovic with almost 100,000 euros. Why Stijepovic was heard at the Special Prosecutor's Office, Djukanovic did not want to tell how much money his party received from a businessman Knezevic. "If DPS is found guilty, the institutions will blame the party for it," Dukanovic said.
Knezevic's accusations that Djukanovic gathered businessmen in the election period and personally set tariffs for the Democratic Party of Socialists, Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic denied saying "never mentioned anything likely in the talks". Djukanovic called Knezevic "a fugitive who manipulates and thinks he can escape justice and protect himself".
At Knezevic's claim that he is a hidden owner of a precious exclusive villa on Mount Gorica in Podgorica, Milo Djukanovic, the president of Montenegro denied the claimed. "Everything that's right around the house is that the owner of the facility has offered me to buy it, but I said that I did not think about it at this point, but I still do not rule out the possibility of buying it sometime," Dukanovic answered.
President of the Atlas Group Dusko Knezevic is in London, avoiding arrest within the Special Prosecution's investigation of his affairs. The Central Bank of Montenegro introduced a forced administration in two Knezevic's banks (Atlas Banka and Invest Banka Montenegro), and one was declared bankrupt.
Knezevic claims that the whole investigation against him is aimed at circling Circuits around Milo Djukanovic over Knezevic's property and business system.
Source: Radio Slobodna Evropa
