Ibrahimović reportedly plans to send Zdenka Popović to Ljubljana on September 1 as his special envoy

Former Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Zdenka Popović, a member of the Democrats, will reportedly receive a diplomatic passport on September 1, as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Bosniak Party leader Ervin Ibrahimović is sending her to Ljubljana as his special envoy.

This was reported by Vijesti.

A source within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), familiar with the ministry’s activities, told the newspaper that the decision appointing Popović as special envoy to the Embassy of Montenegro in Slovenia has already been drafted, and that her diplomatic passport has been issued.

Under the Foreign Affairs Act (Article 42), the Minister of Foreign Affairs may, for the purpose of carrying out special assignments, appoint a special envoy who temporarily resides in another country or at an international organization. Under the same provision, the head of diplomacy determines all matters relevant to the work of the special envoy.

A source who spoke to Vijesti explained that the mandate of a special envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs lasts one year, but may be renewed.

ACCUSED OF LEAVING BECAUSE OF THE BAOŠIĆI CASE

On July 27, Popović resigned from her positions as a member of parliament and Deputy Speaker. Several days earlier, some media outlets reported that she would continue her career as a diplomat at the Embassy of Montenegro in Ljubljana.

The first to report this was RTV Podgorica’s Portal (gradski.me), which Popović told on July 25 that she would resign from the legislature in order to move into diplomacy and that she would be appointed Chargé d’Affaires in Slovenia, adding that the „appointment procedure for Slovenia is underway“.

That same day, the Democrats denied Popović’s statement, telling Televizija Vijesti that the reports were inaccurate and that Dragan Tufegdžić, a party official, would remain Montenegro’s ambassador to Slovenia until the end of his term.

Under the Foreign Affairs Act (Article 45), a chargé d’affaires takes charge of a diplomatic mission when the head of mission is absent or unable to perform their duties, or when the position of head of mission is vacant. Neither of those circumstances applies in Slovenia.

The following day, July 26, Popović again told RTV Podgorica’s Portal that she would continue her career in diplomacy, in Slovenia, adding that the „confusion in the media“ had arisen because the information was published before she had explained the matter to the party leadership. She reiterated that the „appointment procedure for Slovenia is underway“, but did not specify the position at that time. The Democrats did not issue any further statements afterward.

Following reports that Popović was resigning in order to enter the diplomatic service, opposition European Alliance MP Nikola Zirojević reacted by claiming that the Democratic Party official was „fleeing the 'Carina' case“.

- The escape prompted by the „Carina“ case has begun. Take it slowly, as Zdenka’s people would say - the hand of justice will knock on everyone’s door. Ljubljana is not far away - Zirojević wrote on social media on July 25.

In early April, lawyer Veselin Radulović submitted an additional criminal complaint to the Special State Prosecutor’s Office, supplementing earlier complaints against the Democrats, Herceg Novi Mayor Stevan Katić (Democrats), Zdenka Popović, „Carina“ owner Čedomir Popović, and former acting Chief State Architect Siniša Minić, over suspicions that they had committed multiple criminal offenses in connection with the degradation of the coastline in Baošići.

He stated that there were reasonable grounds to suspect that Popović had used her institutional and political influence, particularly over inspection authorities, to prevent the law from being enforced.