Montenegrin Interior Ministry

Montenegrin Special State Prosecutor Vladimir Novovic (L) and head of Police Directorate Nikola Terzic (R) in Podgorica. Photo: Parliament of Montenegro

On October 22, 2021, Montenegro gave political asylum to the billionaire, who is on a Russian-issued international arrest warrant for allegedly ordering contract murders.

Montenegrin police officer on patrol in the capital Podgorica. Photo. BIRN/Samir Kajosevic

The US Justice Department said that Richard Ayvazyan, his wife, Marietta Terabelian, and his sister-in-law, Tamara Dadyan, were in detention in Montenegro. The Montenegrin Interior Ministry didn't respond to BIRN's request for arrest details by time of publication.

Montenegro Interior Ministry official Zoran Miljanic at a press conference. Photo. Government of Montenegro

The Russian ministry sent a note to the embassy of Montenegro in Moscow, saying that entry was prohibited to the State Secretary of the Montenegrin Interior Ministry.

Telman Ismailov (right) and Turkish businessman Sedat Peker (left) in Podgorica. Photo: Twitter/Sedat Peker

The Azerbaijan-born Russian billionaire was arrested in Podgorica, Montenegro, on October 1, on a Russian-issued international arrest warrant for allegedly ordering contract murders.

Montenegrin Deputy Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic at a press conference. Photo: Government of Montenegro

"There is no organised crime without political support and ties within the system. Montenegro will be able to fight organised crime," Abazovic told a press conference.

The Montenegrin Interior Ministry (MUP) has initiated, ex-officio, procedures to strip the mayor of the town of Kotor of his Montenegrin citizenship.

The reason is that the mayor, Vladimir Jokic, is also a citizen of Serbia.

The Montenegrin Interior Ministry (MUP) has initiated, ex-officio, procedures to strip the mayor of the town of Kotor of his Montenegrin citizenship.

The reason is that the mayor, Vladimir Jokic, is also a citizen of Serbia.

A WW2 leftover aerial bomb weighing 1,000 kilograms has been found in the riverbed of the Tara, the Montenegrin Interior Ministry has announced.

The bomb was found by experts from the Emergency Situations Directorate near Matesevo, close to a highway's route, state broadcaster RTCG is reporting on Monday.

An international military exercise called "Montenegro 2016", involving servicemen and women from the 32 NATO member and partner countries, started in the capital Podgorica on Monday

The consequence management field exercise, organized jointly by the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre, EADRCC, and the Montenegrin Interior Ministry, ends on Friday.

On Tuesday, the Montenegrin Interior Ministry signed a 2 million euro contract for an automated fingerprint identification system called  AFIS.

The AFIS system, originally developed by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation for use in criminal cases, will compare nationally issued ID cards and fingerprints with the voters registry. AFIS will be operational within three months.