New chapter in the security sector of Montenegro, Kentera Director of NSA

The minority government in Montenegro on May 5, 2022, fired the former director of the National Security Agency (NSA), who was a pro-Serb and close to the Serbian Orthodox Church, Dejan Vuksic. The current president of the Atlantic Alliance Savo Kentera has been appointed as a Director of NSA of Montenegro.

This is turning a new chapter in the security sector, said Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic, thanking Vuksic for the cooperation so far.

Five ministers from the pro-serb People’s Socialist Party (SNP) which has six ministers in the government, have opposed Kentera’s appointment.

The election of Kentera was not supported by the Minister of Justice Marko Kovac, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture Vladimir Jokovic, Minister of Sports Vasilije Lalosevic, Minister of Health Dragoslav Scekic, and Minister of Education Miomir Vojinovic.

Earlier, the Minister of Justice, Marko Kovac, requested additional consultations on the appointment of the new acting, for which he was supported by the Minister of Finance Aleksandar Damjanoviq (SNP).

The new National Security Council has been appointed at today’s session of the Government.

The Council is chaired by Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic, while members of the Council are Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Rashko Konjeviq from the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Minister of Justice Marko Kovaç (SNP), Minister of Internal Affairs Filip Adhiiq (URA), Minister of Finance Aleksandar Damjanoviq (SNP), Minister of Foreign Affairs Ranko Krivokapić (SDP), Acting NSA Director Savo Knetera, and Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Security and Defense Milan Knezevic, the leader of the People’s Democratic Party which is part of the Democratic Front, and member of the Council and Deputy Chairman of the Committee Mevludin Nuhodzic from the Democratic Party of Socialists.

“I announce that the session of the Council will be held soon and that the acting president will be invited. The Supreme Prosecution and the Chief Prosecutor should once again express the support of the Government, and with it of the Council, in what is a great task facing Montenegro, which is a meaningful, organized and effective fight against organized crime and corruption at all levels, especially against high-level corruption “, said Prime Minister Abazoviq.

To recall that Savo Kentera has been for many years President of the Atlantic Alliance of Montenegro and Vice

President of the World Atlantic Charter Organization. According to his biography, he has expertise in international relations, intelligence policy and governance, security issues affecting the intelligence community, other security studies, and terrorism.

His predecessor, Dejan Vuksic, is a lawyer dedicated to the Serbian Orthodox Church, accompanied by much controversy over the events before and during the coronation of Metropolitan Joanikije in Cetinje in September of last year. At the time, Metropolitan Joanikije and Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church Porfirije were brought to Cetinje by military helicopter because citizens had blocked the road.

Some members of the Democratic Front, Nebojsa Medojevic and Milan Knezevic, have also spoken out to the media against the election of Kentera.