Podgorica court rejects measures against Ukrainian woman in botox case

The Basic Court in Podgorica has rejected proposals from the prosecution to seize the passport of Ukrainian citizen Julija Kušnareva and impose police supervision. The decision follows an incident where three women were hospitalized at the Clinical Center of Montenegro with symptoms of botulism after receiving botox treatments from Kušnareva.

While the Ministry of Education and Science of Montenegro had previously recognized Kušnareva’s medical diploma from the National Medical University ‘O. O. Bogomoljca’ in Kyiv, the Medical Chamber of Montenegro has strongly condemned the situation. The Chamber stated that recognizing a foreign diploma is not equivalent to a license to practice medicine in Montenegro and accused Kušnareva of knowingly providing medical services without the required local licensure.

Additionally, the Medical Chamber criticized the use of a botulinum toxin product that was allegedly obtained outside of controlled distribution channels. The court ruled that there is currently no substantiated suspicion of quackery, as the defendant holds a recognized medical degree, though health inspections have banned the facility where the illegal aesthetic services were being provided.