Montenegro Probes Multi-Million Euro Police HQ

The parliamentary anti-corruption committee on Monday questioned Interior Minister Rasko Konjevic, the supreme state prosecutor Ivica Stankovic and director of public procurement Mersud Mujevic about the constriction of the police building in Podgorica.

The committee asked the chief prosecutor to collect all data related to the building work and report back to parliament within two months. The committee will then assess whether the contract for the construction was signed illegally or not. 

"Collecting all the necessary documentation takes some time but within two months we will deliver our formal opinion to the committee," chief prosecutor Ivica Stankovic promised.

The hearing was initiated by the opposition in December in a bid to clarify the circumstances under which the state concluded the 13-million-euro contract. 

Former chief of police Veselin Veljovic signed the deal with the Podgorica-based Celebic construction company in 2007, but the firm was chosen without a public tender.

Under huge public pressure, the Special Prosecutor's Office for Organised Crime has launched an investigation in 2013 during it it examined all the contracts with the companies that participated in constructing and equipping the police headquarters. The probe has not led to any indictments, however.

During a heated three-hour debate on Monday, opposition MPs said that the contract was detrimental to public finances and urged the prosecution to investigate allegations of bribery.

Representatives of the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists insisted however that it was acceptable.