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The Monitoring Center -- CEMI has joined a group of Montenegrin NGOs supporting a parliamentary investigation into the 2005 privatization of the country’s primary telecom company, a sale that has sparked a major corruption scandal.

“In particular, we call the parliamentary majority to show that there are no reasons to defend anyone from authorities in advance, both the previous ones and the current ones, and thus to assure the public in its fair and impartial approach toward their party fellows from other branches of the government,” states a  letter signed by Zlatko Vujovic, president of CEMI’s managing board, and representatives of  the Institute Alternative, the Centre for Civic Education, CRNVO, and the European Movement in Montenegro.

Montenegrin leaders opened the inquiry after allegations surfaced that the sale was tained by corruption and other improprieties.  In December, Deutsche Telekom and Magyar Telekom reached a settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, agreeing to pay $95 million to settle allegations that they violated regulations in their dealings in Montenegro and Macedonia, according to a report in the Southeast European Times news service.

“The Montenegrin public must promptly learn who are the people responsible for the detriment of the citizens of Montenegro, which brought them and to the persons linked with them enormous financial gains, by selling one of the most successful companies in the history of Montenegro,” the letter states.