{"id":8385,"date":"2020-09-19T16:50:23","date_gmt":"2020-09-19T14:50:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mans.co.me\/en\/?p=8385"},"modified":"2020-09-24T10:11:57","modified_gmt":"2020-09-24T08:11:57","slug":"response-to-the-statement-by-the-mayor-of-podgorica-ivan-vukovic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mans.co.me\/en\/?p=8385","title":{"rendered":"Response to the statement by the Mayor of Podgorica, Ivan Vukovi\u0107 \u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

 <\/p>\n

We are not surprised by the reaction of the Mayor of Podgorica, Ivan Vukovi\u0107<\/a>,<\/strong><\/span> to our investigation<\/a><\/strong>,<\/span> or even by the narrative he uses, which obviously suits him perfectly. We are pleased that after months of silence on this topic, the procedure of terminating the harmful business, to which MANS warned the Capital City for months, has been initiated.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Ivan Vukovi\u0107, Mayor of Podgorica<\/p><\/div>\n

At the end of August, KfW Bank informed Podgorica’s “Vodovod” that it was no longer possible to continue financing the contract with the company “To\u0161kovi\u0107i” since its owner had been convicted, and that this was a violation of the tender procedure.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Response of the KfW Bank<\/p><\/div>\n

The judgement was submitted to KfW bank by the very MANS, at the bank\u2019s request, so that the authorities in that financial institution could get acquainted with all the relevant facts before making the above-mentioned decision. Neither the Capital City nor Vodovod did that, although they were obliged to know that domestic legislation, as well as the rules of KfW Bank, do not allow the conclusion of contract with  persons convicted by a final judgement. We are quite convinced that the contract with “To\u0161kovi\u0107i” would have remained in force if the MANS\u2019 investigation had not taken place, because both Vukovi\u0107 and the director of Vodovod Filip Makrid had full information about who was Ivica To\u0161kovi\u0107 with whom they signed a contract worth \u20ac 1.83 million.<\/p>\n

In addition, MANS has been trying since the end of July to get a comment from the Capital City and Vodovod on the investigation we published, but the choice of Vukovi\u0107 and Makrid was to remain silent until the decision of KfW Bank and the publication of our investigative story.<\/p>\n

Thus, we understand the tension that Vukovi\u0107 displays in his public appearance, as well as the clumsy attempt to wrap an obvious violation of the law into some kind of political persecution and lynch. As for Vukovi\u0107 himself, MANS finds him completely uninteresting as a politician, however, as a public official he must understand that, like his predecessors, he will always be under the scrutiny of MANS, as well as of the entire public.<\/p>\n

We will not comment on the personal qualifications that Vukovi\u0107 publicly stated in the absence of arguments, because that is the level we refuse to stoop to. We can only accept them as a reflection of the obvious weakness and inability to face indisputable facts as a public official, and accept responsibility for breaking the law.<\/p>\n

Yesterday, MANS announced filing of criminal charges against Vukovi\u0107 and others involved in this harmful business, which will happen as early as next week.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dejan Milovac<\/p>\n

Director of the Investigative Centre<\/strong>
MANS<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  We are not surprised by the reaction of the Mayor of Podgorica, Ivan Vukovi\u0107, to our investigation, or even by the narrative he uses, which obviously suits him perfectly. We are pleased that after months of silence on this topic, the procedure of terminating the harmful business, to which MANS warned the Capital City<\/p>\n

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