Montenegro Asks Moscow to Help With Coup Probe

Montenegrin Justice Minister Zoran Pazin said on Friday that Montenegro had asked Moscow to allow its the special prosecutor to examine two Russian nationals suspected of having played a leading role in last October's alleged coup.

Asked whether the special prosecutor, Milivoje Katnic, will travel to Russia to question Vladimir Popov and Eduard Shishmakov, who are suspected of having organised the coup attempt on election day on October 16, the minister said no formal invitation had arrived yet.

"As a minister and Deputy Prime Minister, I'm looking forward to that kind of cooperation wit Russia. From our side, the Special State Prosecutor's Office has sent a request for international legal assistance, asking a hearing of Shishmakov and Popov in the presence of our chief prosecutor and his associates," Pazin said.

Pazin said that Montenegro had received confirmation of the authenticity of the passports of Shimakova and Popova from the Interpol office in Moscow.

On Thursday, the Russian prosecution said it was reviewing Montenegro's request for help in the investigation.

But Moscow again rejected accusations that Russian military and security agencies were involved plan to overthrow the government and assassinate former Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic.  

On February 16, chief prosecutor Katnic accused Russia of orchestrating the attempted coup on October 16 in order to overthrow the pro-Western government and stop the Balkan country from joining NATO.

According to Katnic, the head of the group plotting the coup was Edward Shirokov whose real name was Edward Shishmakov.

"In 2014, Shishmakov was a deputy military attache at the Russian embassy in Poland, but got expelled for espionage for Russia,"...