| Croatia: Ex-U.S. ambassador gets police protection |
| 22 November 2008 | 18:07
| Source:
FoNet |
DUBROVNIK --
Former U.S. Ambassador to Croatia and Serbia William Montgomery has been given round-the-clock police protection.
Montgomery resides in Popovići, in the Croatian region of Konavle.
The Croatian MUP district chief Ivan Kurika did not specify the type of threats the former diplomat had received, nor would he comment on media reports, according to Radio Free Europe.
The media in Croatia are saying that Montgomery was the target of death threats, and are tying this to the so-called Five Star case.
Reports explain that Montgomery will soon be due to testify against Dubrovnik entrepreneur Antun Kralj, his son Antoan and former head of the district building permits office, Ivo Žeravica.
Goran Štrok, who owns a chain of luxury hotels, filed a complaint against them for alleged extortion over the permits he needed to open the Bellevue Hotel.
All three were charged for taking and giving bribes, abuse of office and powers and incitement of criminal acts.
Another possible reason for the threats against Montgomery, the Croatian media are speculating, could be the fact that the former U.S. diplomat was a friend of the recently murdered Nacional weekly owner Ivo Pukanić.
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