Montenegrin legal dispute over defense procurement

A legal and political dispute has emerged in Montenegro involving Defense Minister Dragan Krapović and lawyer Veselin Radulović regarding the procurement of two patrol boats for the Armed Forces.

Minister Krapović filed a criminal complaint against Radulović for false reporting, maintaining that the procurement process was transparent and followed the Law on the Confirmation of the Agreement between the Government of Montenegro and the Government of the Republic of France. Radulović responded by stating his previous complaints were intended to protect the public interest and ensure accountability for suspected corruption.

The situation escalated as Radulović requested a security risk assessment from the National Security Agency (ANB), claiming he has faced months of threats and public attacks. The Montenegrin PEN Center expressed concern over Krapović’s actions, stating that the Minister’s counter-complaint and labeling of Radulović as a ‘mercenary’ violates UN principles regarding the protection of lawyers from intimidation. Krapović has denied any wrongdoing, asserting that judicial institutions must determine the truth and that no political lawyers are ‘untouchable’.