Visit our website: HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------------------------- Financial Times [W]estern governments were playing down allegations of Montenegro's role in smuggling because President Djukanovic was seen as a bulwark against Slobodan Milosevic.... [The reporter was well-advised not to attach his name to this feature.] Montenegro leader denies smuggling By a Financial Times Reporter August 14 2001 Milo Djukanovic, president of Montenegro, has responded to charges that his country is a haven for organised crime, notably through the smuggling of cigarettes. In a letter to Financial Times Deutschland, which published two articles on the subject, Mr Djukanovic denied that the Montenegrin authorities were conniving in the illegal trafficking of cigarettes. He described the cigarette trade as "regular transit business" which had been inspected by EU anti-fraud authorities with no discovery of wrongdoing. "Transit of tobacco, as well as of other goods through Montenegro, has been carried out in accordance with the laws of our country," he said. The Financial Times published an edited version of the FTD material last Friday. It said that western governments were playing down allegations of Montenegro's role in smuggling because President Djukanovic was seen as a bulwark against Slobodan Milosevic, the former Serb leader. The article quoted a German customs investigator who estimated that cigarette smuggling from Montenegro into the European Union had cost the EU $3.55bn in lost tax revenues. Mr Djukanovic dismissed as "irresponsible speculation" that up to 50 per cent of Montenegro's gross domestic product could be traced back to the smuggling. He also rejected as an "ordinary untruth" and "irresponsible insinuations" the allegation that he had profited personally. Mr Djukanovic became prime minister of Montenegro in 1991 and president in 1998. During his period in office, the Montenegrin economy suffered hardship because of the United Nations sanctions against neighbouring Serbia. In separate correspondence, Vinka Jovovic, Mr Djukanovic's adviser, also dismissed statements by Ottavio Del Turco, a former Italian government minister, who claimed that the president had protected powerful businessmen such as Francesco Prudentino involved in smuggling. "President Djukanovic has stated several times not only that he has never received any donation from Mr Prudentino, but that he does not know him," he said. "Not a single criminal now has or will ever have a shelter in Montenegro." This month, the European Commission renewed a lawsuit against two big US tobacco companies, Philip Morris and RJ Reynolds, on charges of conspiring in smuggling cigarettes into the EU from eastern Europe. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Make international calls for as low as $.04/minute with Yahoo! Messenger http://phonecard.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------------------------- This Discussion List is the follow-up for the old stopnato @listbot.com that has been shut down ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9spWA Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: archive@jab.org T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
