Podgorica, (MINA) - Former director of the Real Estate Administration, Blazo Saranovic, was arrested on Monday morning by order of the Special State Prosecutor’s Office (SDT), Vijesti daily has learned.

Saranovic is suspected of abuse of office.

The SDT announced earlier on Monday that the Special Police Department, on its order, was carrying out urgent evidentiary actions against several persons in Podgorica and Budva, on the grounds for suspicion that they committed criminal acts of abuse of official position.

Saranovic is also a member of the Democratic Party of Socialists’ Main Board, and served in the national system for over 15 years.

While serving as Director of the Real Estate Administration, Saranovic also managed Iskra Football Club from Danilovgrad.

In late 2023 the Special Police Department investigated a suspicious contract worth nearly EUR 9 million, which the former Real Estate Administration, led by Saranovic, signed in the summer of 2020 with the company Koti Nekretnine. The property was purchased, among other things, for the needs of Monstat.

A few months before it was sold to the state, the 5,600 square meter property in the center of Podgorica was owned by the company “Volvox”.