PODGORICA -- William Montgomery, former US Ambassador to Serbia-Montenegro, Croatia and Bulgaria, said the US had a ship with a CIA team located in Cavtat.
Montgomery: CIA protected Djukanovic, when Italians intervened, he turned to Russians
PODGORICA -- William Montgomery, former US Ambassador to Serbia-Montenegro, Croatia and Bulgaria, said the US had a ship with a CIA team located in Cavtat.
Source: Tanjug
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EPA-EFE SASA MARICIC
According to him, the main task of the CIA stationed in the Croatian town was to protect the then and current president of Montenegro, Milo Djukanović, if the then president of the FRY, Slobodan Milošević, attacked him.
In an interview for the premium service of Zagreb's Vecernji list, and Podgorica's Vijesti reports, Montgomery said that it was difficult to raise funds to finance Djukanovic's government, so he said they started allowing tobacco smugglers to operate from Montenegro.
When asked what he thinks of Djukanovic's role in the history of the break-up of Yugoslavia, Montgomery said that "Djukanovic is the most capable, most agile politician in the region."
EPA-EFE/ SERGEI ZHUKOV/PRESIDENTIAL PRESS
He also said that everyone knew what was happening, but they allowed it because it brought the money that Djukanovic needed against Milosevic.
"But when the wars ended and Milosevic fell, something like the scene from 'Casablanca' happened. The Italians said: well, that's where the smuggling happens. We have to investigate that. And so they started a big investigation that included Djukanovic. He sees that the Italians are going after him, that the British are starting to take organized crime more seriously, etc. And then he makes a shift again, this time towards the Russians. He sends his closest adviser to the ambassador to Russia with the intention of attracting the Russians to come and invest in Montenegro. And they do that. But then he sees another opportunity, moves away from Russia and joins NATO," the former US Ambassador said. A journalist from "Večernji list" then says: "The Russians are trying to carry out a coup d'état, at that moment, which is a serious matter."
"Yes, he survived that, too. He is constantly making huge strides in all directions, and that is amazing, and that is why I say that he is the most agile, most successful politician in the region," Montgomery said.
Asked if he had a role in revealing the story about the tobacco mafia and Montenegro in the media and that some believe he helped the Croatian newspaper Nacional and its former editor Ivo Pukanic, Montgomery said he was good friends with Pukanic.
"We worked closely when I was ambassador to Croatia. But I had no role in what you were asking me. When I arrived in Belgrade, one of my first tasks was to go to Montenegro, then part of Yugoslavia, and evaluate different political parties, to report back to Washington what are the beliefs of those political parties, what are the chances of Djukanovic's removal, so I met two or three times with representatives of all parties there, including the Serbian one. I see no acceptable alternative to Djukanovic because none of those other parties have the strength of his ruling party. The Serbian party has no commitment to Western values, in fact it opposes them because they are pro-Milosevic. So we have no choice but to stick to Djukanovic. That was not the position of the British ambassador (Charles Crawford), who thought that because of all the tobacco smuggling and all that, Djukanovic had to leave, but that was not my position, so there was no way I would be a part of the efforts taken to discredit Djukanovic", Montgomery said.
Asked if he had a theory about who ordered the assassination of Pukanic, Montgomery answered: "Yes, I have". Asked if it was the tobacco mafia, he said, "Yes, absolutely."
Asked to reveal any name, Montgomery said that he had been exposed to serious threats, which, as he said, were passed over to him by Serbian and U.S. intelligence services.
Mr Bean: Because they are not good people, your lot will suffer endlessly. Why is it your people have been hated for centuries. Even Saint Sava warned them to reform their evil and filthy ways, specifically, Sava said to you banshees, refrain beastiality and repent.
(Ol Scratch, 27 July 2021 02:10)
Fugitive from the USA, the former ambassador is the most agile and most capable of all ambassadors, to always tell what is expected of him at a given moment.
(ne_tako, 20 July 2021 21:09)
Well Mr Montgomery, aint that just great. Here you are coming out with the truth that Djukanovic is at the top of the mafia in Podgorica. Most of us knew that all along but your crooked and corrupt country upheld this criminal. We also knew the CIA was operative (and still is), not for the betterment of the people of Montenegro but for a handful of mafia crooks.
And all this time Djukanovic has accused the Serbian people in his country of all sorts. Not only that but also the Serbian Orthodox Church.
If you knew Djukanovic was a crook and full of sh*t, why didnt you do something about it? So much for truth and justice from the US of F***ing A.
I'm sure the same is in Kosovo where the Yanks support a narco mafia and turn a blind eye to corruption and murder while spreading lies and misinformation about Serbia. Shame on you Montgomery.
Dear Lord above, how much longer do the good people have to suffer with American bias, corruption and greed?
(MR BEAN, 20 July 2021 15:22)
The so called attempted Russian coup is pure and utter BS. If the Russians wanted Djuko dead he would have been pushing up daisies there and then. It was a scam and nothing more. Perhaps Montgomery could explain why Montenegro ended up having arrest warrants for two US citizens who turned out to be CIA operatives?
(sj, 20 July 2021 14:00)
Well Mr Montgomery, aint that just great. Here you are coming out with the truth that Djukanovic is at the top of the mafia in Podgorica. Most of us knew that all along but your crooked and corrupt country upheld this criminal. We also knew the CIA was operative (and still is), not for the betterment of the people of Montenegro but for a handful of mafia crooks.
And all this time Djukanovic has accused the Serbian people in his country of all sorts. Not only that but also the Serbian Orthodox Church.
If you knew Djukanovic was a crook and full of sh*t, why didnt you do something about it? So much for truth and justice from the US of F***ing A.
I'm sure the same is in Kosovo where the Yanks support a narco mafia and turn a blind eye to corruption and murder while spreading lies and misinformation about Serbia. Shame on you Montgomery.
Dear Lord above, how much longer do the good people have to suffer with American bias, corruption and greed?
(MR BEAN, 20 July 2021 15:22)
The so called attempted Russian coup is pure and utter BS. If the Russians wanted Djuko dead he would have been pushing up daisies there and then. It was a scam and nothing more. Perhaps Montgomery could explain why Montenegro ended up having arrest warrants for two US citizens who turned out to be CIA operatives?
(sj, 20 July 2021 14:00)
Fugitive from the USA, the former ambassador is the most agile and most capable of all ambassadors, to always tell what is expected of him at a given moment.
(ne_tako, 20 July 2021 21:09)
Mr Bean: Because they are not good people, your lot will suffer endlessly. Why is it your people have been hated for centuries. Even Saint Sava warned them to reform their evil and filthy ways, specifically, Sava said to you banshees, refrain beastiality and repent.
(Ol Scratch, 27 July 2021 02:10)
The so called attempted Russian coup is pure and utter BS. If the Russians wanted Djuko dead he would have been pushing up daisies there and then. It was a scam and nothing more. Perhaps Montgomery could explain why Montenegro ended up having arrest warrants for two US citizens who turned out to be CIA operatives?
(sj, 20 July 2021 14:00)
Well Mr Montgomery, aint that just great. Here you are coming out with the truth that Djukanovic is at the top of the mafia in Podgorica. Most of us knew that all along but your crooked and corrupt country upheld this criminal. We also knew the CIA was operative (and still is), not for the betterment of the people of Montenegro but for a handful of mafia crooks.
And all this time Djukanovic has accused the Serbian people in his country of all sorts. Not only that but also the Serbian Orthodox Church.
If you knew Djukanovic was a crook and full of sh*t, why didnt you do something about it? So much for truth and justice from the US of F***ing A.
I'm sure the same is in Kosovo where the Yanks support a narco mafia and turn a blind eye to corruption and murder while spreading lies and misinformation about Serbia. Shame on you Montgomery.
Dear Lord above, how much longer do the good people have to suffer with American bias, corruption and greed?
(MR BEAN, 20 July 2021 15:22)
Mr Bean: Because they are not good people, your lot will suffer endlessly. Why is it your people have been hated for centuries. Even Saint Sava warned them to reform their evil and filthy ways, specifically, Sava said to you banshees, refrain beastiality and repent.
(Ol Scratch, 27 July 2021 02:10)
Fugitive from the USA, the former ambassador is the most agile and most capable of all ambassadors, to always tell what is expected of him at a given moment.
(ne_tako, 20 July 2021 21:09)
