U.S. ‘Disappointed’ Over Montenegro Probe

By Predrag Milic, AP, The Washington Post, Friday 6 June 2003; 11:09 AM

PODGORICA, Serbia-Montenegro—The U.S. government criticized authorities in Montenegro on Friday for not indicting anyone in the case of a woman who alleged she was forced into prostitution by human traffickers with links to top officials in the republic.

A statement from the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia and Montenegro, said the American government was “deeply disappointed” and called for further investigation.

“The investigation into this case has reportedly revealed substantial additional information about the sex-trafficking industry,” the U.S. statement said. “We strongly hope and expect that this information will be vigorously and thoroughly investigated by the appropriate authorities in the days ahead.”

Last year, a woman from the former Soviet state of Moldova escaped from a brothel near the Montenegrin capital, Podgorica, and accused several prominent figures, including the brother of the president, of being involved in the network that forced her into prostitution.

The allegations shook the tiny Adriatic republic and authorities launched an investigation.

Prosecutors last month dropped preliminary charges of human trafficking against a deputy state prosecutor and three other suspects because of a lack of evidence.

Authorities said statements from witnesses were contradictory and inconclusive.

Amnesty International and local human rights groups have accused Montenegrin authorities of covering up the scandal. The officials, including the president, have denied they tried to cover it up.

On Friday, Predrag Sekulic, the spokesman for President Filip Vujanovic's ruling Democratic Party of Socialists, reiterated that “the case is within the jurisdiction of the judiciary, and we do not want to interfere with their decisions.”