Ex-top Montenegrin politician to serve 46 months in prison

PODGORICA, Montenegro – A former top Montenegrin politician charged with embezzling millions, will serve 46 months in prison and pay 1.1 million euros ($1.2 million) in a plea bargain with the prosecutors.

Montenegro’s Higher Court said Tuesday that 61-year-old Svetozar Marovic, who was president of Serbia-Montenegro before Montenegro split in 2006, also must donate 100,000 euros ($112,000) to charity.

Marovic was charged with masterminding a criminal group which earned millions of euros in the Adriatic tourist resort of Budva through suspicious property purchases and construction deals.

The indictment said Marovic’s son’s company bought 26,000 square meters (6.4 acres) of valuable coastal land at a privileged price after a suspicious auction. Marovic’s son recently made a deal with prosecutors to serve one year in prison and pay 380,000 euros ($426,000).

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