Extraordinary Session of Montenegro’s National Security Council Takes Place Amidst Pre-Election Campaign Finale

Podgorica (Photo: HINA/MINA)

Montenegrin Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic has called an extraordinary session of the country’s National Security Council for June 7, with the main agenda item being the alleged connection between South Korean citizen Do Kwon – suspected of cryptocurrency embezzlement – and Milojko Spajic, the leader of the Europe Now Movement, local media have reported, citing sources close to the government.

The session will be taking place in the final days of the campaign for Montenegro’s June 11 parliamentary election, and was called after media close to the recently-disbanded Democratic Front coalition and party leaders from the former alliance reported that Do Kwon wrote to Montenegro’s highest state institutions about his alleged ties with Spajic, who served as finance minister from 2020 to 2022.

Former Democratic Front leaders Milan Knezevic, Andrija Mandic and Nebojsa Medovic along with Abazovic’s United Reform Action party have requested that the Special Prosecutor’s Office investigate Do Kwon’s claims, which the Europe Now Movement insists are an attempt at creating scandal on the eve of the elections. Suspected of embezzling over USD40 billion through crypto trade, Do Kwon was arrested in Montenegro in March, based on a warrant issued by South Korea.

On June 6, Abazovic confirmed he received Do Kwon’s letter and is informed of its content, adding that he forwarded it to the Special Prosecutor’s Office, which has yet to offer a reply. Details of the document have been published by the Podgorica-based daily Vijesti. Claiming to have seen the original, the Vjesti reported that the English-language, handwritten missive offered prosecutors proof of how Spajic allegedly financed his presidential campaign.

Spajic was disqualified from running for president of Monentegro due to controversies over his Serbian citizenship. He was subsequently replaced by Europe Now vice president Jakov Milatovic, who ultimately won the election. Spajic is currently a candidate for prime minister and is denying any connection to Do Kwon, while his party maintains that the allegations were deliberately publicized in the last week of the parliamentary pre-elections campaign.