A case of unaccounted wealth involving former Member of Parliament Božidar Vuksanović and his family has sparked public outrage in Montenegro. An investigation by the Network for Affirmation of the NGO Sector in Montenegro (MANS), published in 2023, uncovered significant financial discrepancies, raising serious concerns about corruption.

Between 2008 and 2009 Božidar Vuksanović and his immediate family members spent over €270,000 on several properties in Montenegro. However, public records show no legitimate financial sources to justify these purchases. His official income and asset declarations published on the website of the Agency for Prevention of Corruption (ASK) contained no records of savings, loans, or other income that could explain the transactions. When asked, Vuksanović dismissed the findings, insisting that his declarations were accurate. He attributed his son's property acquisitions as 'inherited wealth' but refused to provide further details.

MANS obtained official documentation revealing that in early 2008, his son Bojan Vuksanović, then a 23-year-old unemployed young man, purchased a 156-square-meter apartment and a garage in a prestigious neighbourhood of Podgorica from “Normal Company”, for €171,600. Later that year, Božidar Vuksanović acquired a 200-square-meter plot of land in Žabljak for €22,000, a transaction that remained omitted from his asset declarations until 2011 and allegedly built a chalet without a building permission.

In 2009, Bojan Vuksanović bought 129-square-meter business premises in Podgorica's Stari Aerodrom area from the same company for €78,600. None of these transactions were reported at the time to the Commission for Prevention of Conflict of Interest, despite the legal obligation for public officials to do so.

Further scrutiny arose when it was revealed that the business premises were later leased to the Post Office of Montenegro between 2014 and 2021, a period during which Božidar Vuksanović held influential positions in the company, serving as a Board Directors member and the Executive Director (see here and here). The lease currently under investigation by the Basic State Prosecution (ODT) in Podgorica for potential conflicts of interest.

In January 2024, MANS submitted this case and all gathered evidence to the Special State Prosecutor’s Office (SDT). However, in the written response the following month, SDT refused to investigate this case, citing the statute of limitations. Under Montenegrin Criminal Code, if 10 years pass since an offence punishable by more than five years in prison was committed, criminal prosecution cannot be initiated. The SDT acknowledged that the case could indicate potential abuse of official and money laundering, but stated that legal deadlines for prosecution had expired.

This case sends a troubling message that corruption can go unpunished in Montenegro. When high-ranking officials can make questionable financial transactions without scrutiny or consequences, public trust in institutions erodes.

Citizens and civil society organizations must demand greater transparency and accountability. Legislative reforms should extend the statute of limitations for corruption-related offenses, ensuring that those who misuse public office can still be held accountable. One possible solution lies in adopting the Law on the Origin of Property, modelled after the Italian system. This law stipulated that an official investigation can be launched without the need to prove a criminal act. Without such changes, cases like Božidar Vuksanović's will continue to undermine Montenegro's progress toward justice and integrity in public service.