Podgorica, (MINA) - NGOs and civil rights activists have called on the Government of Montenegro to urgently provide information on the possible export, import or trade with weapons and military equipment with Israel, as well as to publish all valid contracts, agreements and permits in that area.

The letter was addressed to Prime Minister Milojko Spajic and ministers of Defense and Foreign Affairs, Dragan Krapovic and Ervin Ibrahimovic.

According to the letter, the BIRN’s research from August last year indicates that “the Ministry of Economic Development, with the consent of the Ministries of Foreign and Internal Affairs, as well as the Ministry of Defense, issued two licenses for the export of weapons to Israel during the military offensive on the Gaza Strip”.

“To this day, the relevant ministries have not publicly responded to these claims, which emphasizes the need for full transparency and precise information towards the public”, the press release states.

NGOs and activists said that they oppose any form of trade in arms, military equipment or any other type of military cooperation between Montenegro and Israel, including Israeli companies and intermediary companies, as long as the military offensive in Gaza continues, which the International Court of Justice identified as posing a risk of genocide.

“Therefore, we call on the Government to immediately publish complete and accurate information on all forms of arms trade and military cooperation between Montenegro and Israel that has been in effect in recent years, as well as to urgently suspend such trade or cooperation if it exists”, the civil sector stated.