I paid millions in bribes in Montenegro, says tycoon

FROM his smart flat in Chelsea, fugitive tycoon Dusko Knezevic is waging a solo campaign against the man he claims is one of Europe’s most corrupt rulers.

In his sights is Milo Dukanovic, the president of Mr Knezevic’s native Montenegro, who has run the Balkan nation almost unchallenged for nearly 30 years. His socialist party, which seeks EU membership, is running for re-election tomorrow – but thanks to the dirt Mr Knezevic is dishing, he faces a tougher fight than normal.

Last year, Mr Knezevic caused a political storm by publishing a video of himself handing an envelope containing €100,000 (£89,000) to a senior government official. He said it was just one of many bribes he has had to pay.

“Every businessman in Montenegro is expected to give funds to the ruling party – if you don’t, you get nowhere,” he told The Daily Telegraph.

“I’ve handed over millions in bribes, and paid for holidays in St Tropez for government ministers.”

The government points out that the month before Mr Knezevic released the video, he had fled to Britain after being charged with money laundering through his bank, Atlas Banka.

But the video still led to months of demonstrations. The “envelope affair” has also shed light on wider political intrigue in Montenegro, which joined Nato in 2017 and hopes for EU membership by 2025.

The country’s coastline also makes it of strategic interest to Russia, which was angered when Mr Dukanovic rebuffed its request in 2013 to install a naval base there. In 2016, Russian agents were arrested on suspicion of attempting to assassinate Mr Dukanovic and stage a pro-moscow coup.

Critics say Mr Dukanovic has exaggerated the Russian interference for political purposes.

Mr Knezevic, 61, is one of Montenegro’s richest entrepreneurs, having established a financial empire during the Balkan civil war and set up his own bank and TV station. Previously an ally of Mr Dukanovic, he claims the president began to see him as a rival.

Last month, Interpol dropped Montenegro’s request for an international arrest warrant for Mr Knezevic, after his lawyers in Britain claimed the charges were politically motivated.

In the run-up to tomorrow’s elections, Mr Knezevic has bankrolled three opposition parties and is issuing speeches on his Instagram account, which has 85,000 followers.

Mr Knezevic has said he may stand in the presidential vote in 18 months’ time.