Montenegro Urged to Probe Alleged Fake Signatures in Presidential Campaign

Election billboard for presidential candidate Milo Djukanovic in the Montenegrin capital Podgorica. Photo: BIRN/Samir Kajosevic

Presidential elections will be held in Montenegro on March 19, with seven candidates running for the office including the incumbent Milo Djukanovic.

Since March 8, the election commission and civic organizations have reported that dozens of citizens claimed their personal data were misused for false signatures for presidential candidates.

"The Commission can't verify the authenticity of the signatures but the prosecution is responsible for further proceedings on any abuses in the election process. We urge the prosecutor's office to promptly act on possible abuses related to breaches of citizens' personal data," Mugosa told the media.

On March 9, the Basic prosecution in Podgorica said it would investigate any personal data breaches in the campaign.

According to electoral law, every presidential candidate had to submit to the commission at least 8,101 supporting signatures, with a citizen's unique identification number, JMBG, and ID number.

After the election commission launched signature-checking software on March 8 and called on citizens to check if their personal data were misused by any presidential candidates, dozens of citizens reported breaches to the commission and civic organizations.

Media reported that one presidential candidate, influencer Jovan Radulovic Jodzir, had most of the false signatures reported to the commission and civic organizations.

On March 1, he called on citizens on his social media channels to send him their personal data so he can collect enough signatures before the deadline.

The next day, the Agency for Personal Data Protection said he didn't...