Montenegro court acquits politicians over 'coup' plot

(ANSA-AFP) - BELGRADE, JUL 12 - A Montenegro court on Friday acquitted the pro-Moscow speaker of parliament and 12 others who were re-tried over an alleged Russian-backed coup attempt. In 2019, a court sentenced two leaders of the pro-Russian Democratic Front (DF) group of parties, then in the opposition, to five-year prison terms each. They are now part of Montenegro's ruling coalition as part of the new For The Future of Montenegro coalition. The two -- current parliamentary speaker Andrija Mandic and MP Milan Knezevic -- were accused of being part of a "criminal organisation" that planned to overthrow Djukanovic and prevent Montenegro from joining NATO.
    "There was no evidence that the defendants were guilty of the acts they were charged with, so they are acquitted," judge Zoran Radovic said on Friday. Prosecutors can appeal. After the verdict, Mandic posted a joint photo with Knezevic on X with the message "Courage and freedom". In 2019, all defendants were sentenced to a total of 70 years in prison. The heaviest sentences, 12 and 15 years, went to two alleged Russian spies tried in absentia. A former Serbian police general received eight years. Moscow called the allegations "absurd," while the US State Department described the 2019 ruling as a "victory for the rule of law" against Russia's attempts to undermine Montenegro's sovereignty. (ANSA-AFP).