Former Prime Minister of Montenegro Dritan Abazović has been questioned by the Special Police Department (SPO) as part of an investigation into the decision to grant honorary citizenship to Kosovo businessman Naser Ramaj.
According to Montenegrin media, Abazović and former Interior Minister Filip Adžić were interviewed around ten days ago by SPO officials, who questioned them about the documents and legal basis used for approving Ramaj’s registration as a Montenegrin citizen.
Abazović confirmed that he gave a statement as a citizen at the SPO premises but declined to comment on the details of the questioning.
The investigation, led by the Special State Prosecutor’s Office and the SPO, aims to determine whether there was an abuse of official position during the process of granting honorary citizenship to Naser Ramaj. The decision was made in the final days of Abazović’s 43rd Government.
The citizenship was granted based on the government’s discretionary authority, after positive assessments were reportedly provided by the Ministry of Finance and the National Security Agency.
In his citizenship application submitted on August 28, 2023, Ramaj stated that he was “a great admirer of Montenegro” and considered the country his own.
However, Montenegrin media reported that during the review process, authorities allegedly failed to notice several issues related to tax obligations involving his companies.
According to reports, the company “Alart Centar” appeared on a list of tax debtors, while “Nova gradnja” was blocked due to outstanding debts.
The decision to grant citizenship was made on October 27, 2023, only four days before Abazović’s technical government ended its mandate.
The justification for granting citizenship stated that Ramaj was an investor in the multi-million-euro “Porto Budva” project, considered economically significant for Montenegro, and also highlighted his humanitarian activities.
However, the Kosovo businessman later became involved in criminal proceedings. In August 2024, Montenegro’s police announced that Ramaj was suspected of causing approximately €2.2 million in damage to the state budget.
He was arrested and later allowed to defend himself while remaining free, with his passport confiscated.
The Prosecutor’s Office in Kotor filed an indictment against Ramaj, his company “Alart Centar Budva – CG”, and its director, on suspicion of tax evasion.
Meanwhile, Montenegro’s current Prime Minister Milojko Spajić called for an urgent procedure to revoke Ramaj’s honorary citizenship, claiming that it had been obtained based on false information and by misleading state institutions.
Spajić warned that the case could harm Montenegro’s vital interests and argued that granting citizenship without clear criteria could create room for political clientelism and corruption.
