Today MANS has invited the Minister of Interior and Public Administration, Mr. Jusuf Kalamperovića, based on ex-officio and in accordance with the Law on Montenegrin Citizenship, to initiate the process of revoking decision on granting the citizenship to former Thai Prime Minister, Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra.
Within Article 24, Montenegrin Law on Citizenship defines the obligation of the Ministry to initiate ex officio revoking citizenship if it is determined that decision is made on the basis of false statements or intentional concealing of relevant facts and circumstances.
Former Thai Prime Minister was finally sentenced to two years of prison for corruption, there are three judicial proceedings against him, and ten investigations against him and his family and associates, while Thailand authorities have requested the assistance of Interpol for his arrest and extradition.
Montenegrin law is proscribing that citizenship can not be granted to individual who is finally sentenced to prison in duration longer then one year and against who is under investigative proceedings. Without MANS reminding him, this is already sufficient basis for the Minister Jusuf Kalamperović, to process of revoking citizenship of Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra.
In addition, Article 24 of Law on Montenegrin Citizenship defines that citizenship is revoked in cases that behavior of the citizen in question is seriously harming vital national interests of Montenegro. If Mr. Shinawatra remain our citizen, it will to open a series of questions related to the liberalization of visa regimes and cooperation with other state agencies that are responsible for law enforcement, as well as cooperation with Interpol, which announced the issuing so-called “red notice”, warrant of the highest importance against Mr. Shinawatra.
Also, Article 18 of the Montenegrin Law on Citizenship defines that an individual can not have dual citizenship, except under the conditions defined by international or bilateral agreements, and is known that Shinewatra is citizen of Thailand with whom Montenegro has no specific agreements on citizenship.
Finally, Article 25 of the Law defines that citizenship can be lost on the basis of the obligations that Montenegro took by signing international treaties and agreements. In the case of Shinawatra, these obligations are primarily related to cooperation with Interpol, and respect the UN Convention for the Fight Against Corruption, which Montenegro has ratified and pledged to cooperate with other countries in the fight against corruption and organized crime.
Having in mind all above mentioned, is more than obvious that all legal prerequisites are in place for Minister of Kalamperović to act ex officio and immediately initiate the procedure for revoking Montenegrin citizenship of Mr. Shinawatra. We expect that the Minister Kalamperović will, as soon as possible, determine the facts that led to the issuance of passports to Shinawatra, initiate an investigation within the Ministry and the process responsible individuals, therefore at least partly preserving the integrity of institutions and show that there is political will and capacity to meet the demands of EU integration.
Vanja Ćalović, Executive Director
