On April 2, Milo Djukanovic lost the presidency of Montenegro, being resoundingly defeated at the polls. Djukanovic, a close friend of Joseph Muscat, had been in power for over 34 years. Like Muscat, and their common friend, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, Djukanovic was on that exclusive list ‒ most corrupt man of the year. He won that dubious honour in 2015, Aliyev in 2012, Muscat in 2019. You don’t get the title for outdoing everybody else in corruption for nothing. The three leaders collaborated closely on some stinking deals. When Muscat hosted Djukanovic in Malta in 2016, Djukanovic was asked about serious allegations he faced – links to the Mafia, cigarette smuggling, gross cronyism and uncontrolled corruption. “Those allegations,” Djukanovic insisted, “are just a creative fabrication.” He blamed them on “political adversaries”. He pointed out triumphantly that the people of Montenegro had placed their trust in him repeatedly and they weren’t stupid. The clever people of Montenegro have finally shown Djukanovic the door. Worryingly for Muscat, Djukanovic will lose his immunity from prosecution next month when he leaves the presidency. Montenegro’s parliament voted in...
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