WORLD NEWS FOR MONTENEGRO DIASPORA
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The president of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) and the current president of the country, Milo Đukanović, started his campaign for the upcoming presidential elections, which will be held on March 19, from Petnjica.
We are starting this campaign from Petnjica, and not by chance. In these elections, Montenegro's right to be a civil state, to be a multi-ethnic society and to be a society based on the European value system is being defended. These values are well established in this area. I do not forget that during the difficult trials at the end of the last century and the beginning of this century, we had selfless support for our policy of multi-ethnic harmony and support for the construction of Montenegro as a civil state in this region - President Đukanović began his presentation in the full hall of the Petnjica Culture Center.
Đukanović pointed out that he is proud of the fact that the DPS is a civil party and said that he is convinced that Montenegro can last only as a civil state.
If we strayed onto the national track, that would be the end of us, because we would be swallowed up by big-state nationalisms from the region that are waiting for their chance. That is why it is crucially important for Montenegro that its backbone remains a powerful civil party. The backbone of every serious house and state must be powerful. And in order for someone to play the role of the backbone of state politics, he must have sufficient support from citizens, because you cannot be a backbone with three or four percent support - said Đukanović.
MONTENEGRO IS PROUD OF ITS DIASPORA
In the continuation of his address to those present, President Đukanović said, among other things, that a number of people from this region, most often for existential reasons, had to look for a better place to live, and stated that this phenomenon is not unusual for countries such as Montenegro.
Until a higher level of development is reached, it is logical that those who believe in themselves and want the best for their offspring, look for their chance to live somewhere outside the country, remaining firmly tied to their roots and with the idea of returning to their home at the first opportunity. and apply their experience on their own hearth and contribute to better and faster development of their city and their country. That's how many people from this region left their country, which has reason to be proud of them. I am in contact with them very often when I visit the Benelux countries, and when we meet anywhere in Europe - these are people who serve to make Montenegro proud. People who are involved in life in that society in a responsible way and who behave as responsible citizens of those countries, who are true representatives of Montenegro and its values, and who were with us whenever it was important for Montenegro to share the burden of that election . It was like that in the referendum and in many elections, and I have no doubt that it will be like that in these elections as well - said Đukanović.
He also reminded that all those who left for existential reasons, did not go anywhere else, but precisely to Europe, ie exactly where our natural environment is.
Đukanović said that when all those from the diaspora return to Petnjica and Montenegro, they will bring with them good European experiences and help us to further master and adopt the European value system.
WE HAVE REASONS TO BE PROUD OF THE RESULTS OF OUR POLICY
Someone has already said here that in 1997 or 1998 we entered a new stage of the country's development. I remembered that our slogan in that campaign was - "To live better". Today, 25 years later, I think we have reason to be proud of how we worked and that life is better in Montenegro - said Đukanović.
He said that they have reason to be proud because, as he said, they managed to preserve the peace, establish economic self-sustainability, and showed that Montenegro can live on its own work.
We have reason to be proud that a few years later we introduced the euro as a means of payment, which guarantees monetary stability, which is an incentive for investors to implement such large-scale projects as the highway, submarine cable, Porto Novi, Porto Montenegro. When we talk about these projects, we are talking about valuable projects for developed European countries, let alone for Montenegro - pointed out Đukanović.
He added that the protection of Montenegro from bombing is also a reason for pride.
And the fact that after 2000 we were ready to take a step back in order to take a few steps forward. When we signed the agreement on the state union, we gave Serbia time to understand that we are unwaveringly on the path to rebuilding the country without conflicts and in conditions of full stability. Then, through a referendum, we achieved the restoration of independence. We knew why we were restoring independence. We did this so that the fate of our country would be in our hands and that our country would be part of Europe, which it has become. We became a member of NATO, and today we are in the lobby of the EU. All these are staged realizations of our slogan - "To live better". On the day of the referendum, the average standard of living of a citizen of Montenegro was 36 percent compared to the EU, while today it is 51 percent. Step by step we moved towards the European system of values - said Đukanović.
WE ARE GOING THROUGH AGONY, THIS IS THE LAST MOMENT TO SAY - ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
He referred to the situation in which Montenegro currently finds itself.
Today, everything is called into question. Institutions were paralyzed thanks to irresponsible governments after August 30. Today, Montenegro is an over-indebted country with a completely broken health insurance system. Today, people suffering from malignant diseases have to buy medicines themselves. We have a country where the quality of education is seriously threatened. Instead of absorbing new knowledge, our children today are exposed to the pressure of religious fanatics, whether it's school principals or professors who instruct them in fanatical stupor and dedication to religion, caricaturally expressed in the last two and a half years. We are going through such agony today and that is why it is the last moment to say - enough is enough - said the president of DPS.
He said that we must stop the agony of Montenegro and do everything in our power to put the country back on the right track, which, according to him, is the track of stability and democratic and economic prosperity.
The first opportunity for this is the presidential elections. Personalities who have decided to run for the highest level of government in Montenegro are chosen. An opportunity for people to decide who to trust. I don't just present myself with good wishes. In my case, it is important to ask ourselves what I have done so far for the good of Montenegro. I believe that I have something to present to the entire Montenegrin public. In contrast to my opponents who were most often on the opposite side in the fight for these achievements - emphasized Đukanović.
MONTENEGRO IS A MEMBER OF THE EU UNTIL THE END OF THE NEXT MANDATE
He said he never I wish he never left his work unfinished.
I won't leave that one either. I am convinced that Montenegro can become a member of the EU in the next mandate of the President of Montenegro. I am convinced that with what we have done so far on this path, we have moved far ahead of all other candidates for membership - Đukanović assessed.
He pointed out that he never entered any political battle without being sure that he could win.
We need to win the presidential elections, because in the upcoming parliamentary elections, if we enter them from the position of winners, it will guarantee that DPS will preserve the status of the strongest party. We were and still are today, but we must confirm this in the parliamentary elections in order to preserve the position of the backbone of the state politics of Montenegro and to be the backbone of the future government - concluded Đukanović.
M. J.
