WORLD NEWS FOR MONTENEGRO DIASPORA
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Aware that during these two and a half years they failed the expectations of their voting public, today they claim that they had resistance from the position of president. They had it, and they will have it. Until they leave the government after the parliamentary elections, because they care about the interests of Montenegro as much as last year's snow. Even today, they dare that they will succeed in the presidential elections, in order to complete the work they started. They don't say, and they don't have to, that what they want to complete is the overthrow of the state. They won't. We won't let them do that. We will not allow them to use colorful lies about the Open Balkans to lock Montenegro into the "Serbian and Russian world" - said the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Socialists Milo Đukanović at the final convention in Podgorica.
He said that a few years ago, no one could have guessed that these days we will again fight a decisive battle for the survival of Montenegro.
I will not say anything new if I say that Montenegro is destined to be a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society and civil state, both by its history and its structure. And these very values have always been the subject of unknown mistrust and nationalist contestation in the region in which we live. We believed that we would overcome this problem by restoring independence and assuming full responsibility for the future of our country. We followed this path even after May 21, 2006, defining a clear European vision and showing unwavering determination to realize it. Unfortunately, two and a half years ago, with the change of government, that horizon of European values was irresponsibly and tendentially closed. Ignorance or serving other people's interests anyway. This brought Montenegro back to the crossroads that it had already successfully and consistently passed through in 1997, 1999, 2006, and 2017. That is why today we defend not only the chosen path to the future, but also the very survival of the state, because only such a civil, multi-ethnic and European Montenegro can last - stated Đukanović.
Retrograde politics
He believes that the vampirization of retrograde nationalist policies and large-state projects in the region, as well as the collapse of the state policy of Montenegro, which is still embodied by the current parliamentary majority and its two governments, was also influenced by a dramatic geopolitical plot.
No one could have predicted that in the meantime the world would find itself in such a tangle of antagonisms on the global scene, and that Europe would face the biggest war conflict since the Second World War on its soil, which was caused by one of the biggest nuclear powers, that the world would find before the threat of using nuclear weapons, that the COVID-19 pandemic will paralyze life in the entire world practically in one day. The previous 30 months were the time of moral, political, economic, financial, security, and educational revival of Montenegro. A time of revanchism and inciting hatred, not only towards political predecessors in power, but, in the eternal spirit of irremediably anti-European politics and national and religious exclusivity, and towards everyone who differs from them - stated Đukanović.
Behind, as he said, the supposed reforms of the self-proclaimed experts-apostles, there remained a ruined health system, the deceased Montenegro Airlines; chased away world-renowned tourist brands, scattered investors, with the intention of turning a tourist destination that recorded galloping development into a province of their own measure.
Their irresponsible populist policy brought Montenegro to the brink of bankruptcy, and to the position of borrowing at the highest interest rates in its history. Many companies were shut down, thousands of people lost their jobs. Instead of reforms, the government deals with the nationalization of already privatized companies and joint-stock companies, not with the aim of better management and profit making, but because of the planned sale to "known buyers" from the immediate environment. This is not a reform - it is a precise strategy, designed at addresses outside Montenegro: to bring Montenegro to its knees, to prove its dysfunctionality and economic unsustainability. In order to suggest the unnecessaryness of its survival as an independent state - emphasized Đukanović.
From a society of multi-ethnic harmony, we have returned, according to him, to the dark tavern of the Balkans, in which, without a word condemning the representatives of this unfortunate government, Montenegrins and members of less numerous nations are equally persecuted. At the same time, their mouths are full of reconciliation, even though society is literally bursting at the seams.
Without any personal or party-political dignity, all of them are like horns in a bag, with only one sentence of introduction that connects them: we are against DPS. This is their oath and identification, even today. I said it immediately after the fall of the second government and repeated it during the campaign - the latter is a hooray for irresponsible political cheats and ordinary vassals who falsely present themselves as the Government of Montenegro, who, with the exception of the Bosniak Party, all together do not have parliamentary approval, by the will of the citizens, let us remove them from that responsible position to which they have obviously become emotionally attached, as well as anyone who likes an undeserved honor. That they no longer play with the state and heal the complexes of their own marginality - said Đukanović.
Extraordinary elections
Extraordinary parliamentary elections, he points out, will be held on June 11 and Montenegro will enter the second half of this year with a politically legitimate and responsible government, dedicated to reforms and the continuation of Montenegro's path towards the European goal.
That is why we need two victories for civil and European Montenegro. Both in the presidential and parliamentary elections. To restore the political normality of Montenegro. To finally shut up the nonsense about the great and convincing victory on August 30, 2020, which supposedly freed, as they say, the imprisoned Montenegro. It's time to lighten up, because just during their liberation, dark clouds of revanchism, hatred, exclusivity, ignorance, servitude, paid and unpaid treason loomed over Montenegro. To put an end to the compromising and collapsing reputation of Montenegro in the international community. To the humiliation that the two worst governments in the long history of Montenegrin gave us - assessed Đukanović.
Apostolic, which, he adds, lasted thirteen months, trying to return the country, a leader in EU integration, back to medieval darkness.
And charlatan, self-advertising and vassal, which lasted three months, after which he has been abusing our country for seven months now in the technical mandate. These are the results of their glorious victory and triumphant historical liberation. From that milieu in the presidential campaign, we have four candidates who continue to shamelessly repeat the same story: we are against DPS, against Milo. And nothing in Montenegro before August 30 was valid. According to them, we did not need preserved peace, nor consolidated inter-national and inter-religious harmony, nor established economic self-sustainability, nor saved lives and property during NATO bombing, nor democratically restored independence, nor joining NATO, nor multi-billion investments, nor coming to the lobby EU - for them, these are all tragic failures of Montenegro. No, the losers are the historical achievements of modern Montenegro, but also a reasonable warning to you, who in all these trials were necessarily opposed to the national interests of our country - said Đukanović.
Time
Montenegro, he points out, chose its own path, went through difficult sections on it, to the lobby of the European Union. It is necessary to implement it through the final phase of emancipation and Europeanization of society. We know, that ending is not easy. We also know about the folk one: darkness is thickest before dawn. Our two-and-a-half-year agony also proves this. That's why Montenegro now additionally needs responsible, serious, loyal, competent people at its head, not adventurers, conceited greatness, copies of historical false saviors, like Šćepan Malog. Not even credible penitents, who even when they repent, even if it was the most sincere, unknowingly show that their entire political life was wrong. And that cannot be a recommendation for leading the country in a time of difficult trials - stated Đukanović.
Their plan for the next five years is clear and realistic.
We will continue uncompromisingly to defend and affirm the civil state of Montenegro. There is no one else, apart from the civic coalition led by us, which today proudly and courageously forms the state-forming opposition, there is no one to preserve this glorious tradition from the time of Petrović and the period of socialist construction, as well as after the restoration of independence, until the arrival of the new government. Let me repeat and further annoy the nationalists: Our country has no perspective except as a civil state and a multi-ethnic democracy - emphasized Đukanović.
The second priority of their actions, he adds, must be dynamizing economic development and improving the quality of life of all our citizens.
Until less than three years ago, we had a serious and effective economic and development policy. The summary of success was reflected in the fact that from 2005 to 2019, Montenegro managed to increase GDP per capita from 33 to 50% of the European average. Is there a more important task of responsible government anywhere on the planet? And is there a more convincing indicator of its success? According to Eurostat, in the first year after the change of government in Montenegro, the standard of living dropped from 50 to 48% of the European average. This is the "liberator" effect. Thanks to the policy of arranging the business environment during our administration, Montenegro has become a very attractive investment destination. Numerous citizens of Montenegro and renowned foreign investors have decided to invest billions of euros in our country, guided by our offer of tax and other benefits. This led to a serious growth of the social product, a drop in unemployment, and more reliable social stability. Very valuable infrastructural, communal, energy and tourism systems were built. Today, all that has collapsed. Investors are leaving, business people are scared by the unpredictability of economic politics Governments - assessed Đukanović.
Taxes and other duties and business barriers are becoming unbearable burdens on the economy.
Unemployment is growing. And the debt, which we enter into under unsustainable conditions, because we can service current consumption only from loans. Unfortunately, there is no investment spending. There are no words that a decent person could use to describe this kind of government policy. That's not politics. This is a shameless purchase for another week in power, with an unscrupulous and irresponsible logic that says: We will certainly not deal with the consequences of the chaos we have created. But a serious state will have to deal very carefully with the criminal-legal responsibility of these political fraudsters. We do not want to give false hope and false promises. Years of experience in governing the country have taught us to learn and correct our mistakes. I accept them as part of my objective responsibility. However, I am not only ready, but also able to remove them, and I do it every day. And I will do so through the reforms of our policy that we will continue. Weaknesses are an inevitable companion of every man and every policy. But still, the weakness that has become so common in our country in recent years was never inherent in the policy that we used to govern Montenegro. We do not trade in the interests of Montenegro, they are sacred to us - said Đukanović.
He believes that in the case of Montenegro it has been shown that changes in themselves do not imply changes for the better.
Since in the decades of leading the state we have created the basic prerequisites for its successful functioning, with our knowledge and experience we will continue to build a system of sustainable improvement of people's standards. This is not a populist bidding on the salary level, which with the economic policy led by this current majority, and the enormous borrowing of the state, is a pure utopia. Instead, by renewing comprehensive reforms within the framework of our European agenda, we will initiate the desired dynamics of economic development, ensure continuous growth of personal income with each step closer to EU membership. I have already said: We want Montenegro's membership in the EU, we want to be part of the system of European values, but the most important consequence of this is that we want the citizens of Montenegro to live at the level of the standard of living on the day of entry into the European Union, that is, to have average salaries and pensions like the citizens of the European Union have - said Đukanović.
Reforms
He announced that as the President of Montenegro, he will form a special council for economic reforms, which will include the entire brain of Montenegro, from the University, through the business community to the non-governmental sector.
As an economist and a man who has led the government for a long time, who has enviable experience as a statesman, I know that the essence of any good policy is faster and sustainable economic development. And that a developed economy is the most important part of the foundation of any serious and prestigious state. And the third pillar in our policy is the missing link in the realization of the state vision of Montenegro - membership in the European Union. We don't leave work unfinished. I have started the process of joining the European Union, and I will complete it during my next mandate. I am sure that within five years, Montenegro will be ready for full membership in the European Union. Unlike almost all my competitors, I had the privilege of dealing with state affairs for a long time, so I am not recommending myself for re-election with sweet-talking pre-election wishes, but with significant results that Montenegro has achieved in the past decades. I have already reminded you of them. And who are my competitors from the current majority who talk every day about a "convincing" and "magnificent" victory and the "liberation" of Montenegro from slavery until August 30, 2020? Montenegro, which, as we know, has never allowed itself to be bound in chains. Whose synonym is freedom. Which, as a democratic community, deserved the invitation for membership in NATO and a leadership position in the negotiations with the EU - said Đukanović.
And which, according to him, in the interpretation of today's parliamentary majority, was liberating it from political leaders who spent their entire lives following the most retrograde nationalism that blackened 150,000 households in the territory of the former Yugoslavia in the early nineties.
What a blatant deception. I don't want to say anything about them at this final convention. I think that they have said everything about themselves with their overall actions and appearances in the campaign, and that the voters will know how to judge it best. Only one of them was the reason why Gandhi is often mentioned these days. Well, I quote Gandhi who says: "Your beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions..." I believe that all these decades at the top of state politics I have proven that words turn into actions - he said Đukanović.
Province status
He told the citizens not to allow anyone from the position of citizens of the capital of a prosperous country to lead them to the status of a province of the "Serbian world".
This is exactly what my political competitors are pushing you to do. Once, in no less difficult times, we refused to be the twenty-seventh electoral unit of Serbia. I have to do it even more decisively decline today. Whether we succeed in this depends to a large extent on you. Your vote decides that. I invite you to think about it when you go to the polls on March 19 - said Đukanović.
All of us, he adds, are responsible for the future of our country, for our future and the future of our families.
All of us together have the answer to the situation in our society. And when we talk about the future, it naturally belongs to young people. The fight for a better tomorrow implies the penetration of young people into all spheres, in all areas where important decisions are made. We have a great example of the success of our young people in sports. From such a numerically small country as Montenegro, our athletes conquer European and world peaks. These are the best examples of what young and capable people can do, with the support of experienced and also capable people. I believe that only such an approach to politics guarantees us the right to a happier future. As I am sure that we have the strength and knowledge and will to build such a future, relying on the basic values of Montenegrin society - anti-fascism, inter-national, inter-ethnic harmony and multiculturalism and a society of social justice. Everyone's Montenegro - that is our European future. As the President of Montenegro, I will do everything to ensure the prosperity of the state and society on these sound foundations, by combining diversity with the most important goal - a better life for every citizen - said Đukanović.
Support
DPS functionary and mayor of Podgorica Ivan Vuković said, among other things, that they wondered if Podogrica would not be the capital of a European country, but a small town on the periphery of another country that would be governed for someone else's interest.
If they were wondering, the square where they gathered tonight would not be called Independence Square. If they had asked, there would be at least 10 less of us in this hall tonight - said Vuković.
The leader of the Croatian Civic Initiative, Adrijan Vuksanović, said that he highly appreciates Đukanović's decision to run in these elections.
His decision did not come because of comfort and ease, but because of the economic, social and every other devastation of Montenegro. Đukanović showed and proved that he is a visionary and that he knows what the goal is, while others want to wander in various open Balkans and worlds. After all, who should be president if not the one who saved Montenegro from war bombs. Who should be the president of Montenegro if not the one who played a crucial role in the integration of minority peoples into Montenegrin society, who should be the president if not the one who put Montenegro where it belongs, in the western circle of civilization, where its statehood began - pointed out Vusanović.
The president of the Liberal Party, Andrija Popović, said that the opponents of NATO and Montenegrin independence came to power magically on the wave of Great Serbian litia.
For almost three years, Montenegrins have been walking on thorns and their aspirations to push us into the Serbian world. Đukanović's four opponents - ex-minister Apostol and three party leaders of the anti-Montenegrin and anti-European authorities who are under the auspices of the SPC, which does not recognize and respect the Montenegrin state, neither the state symbols, nor the language, nor the church, should not be underestimated. They easily transform from wolf skin to lamb skin. We have to explain it to them all the time. Milo, who now represents the thousand-year-old Montenegro, will clean them up in the elections on Sunday. We are strongest when our identity is threatened, we defend them sometimes with a gun and sometimes with a pen. That's how it was before, that's how it will be this year - said Popović.
Mehmed Zenka said that they are not a party that has never gone where the wind blows.
When the lion is gone, the hyena thinks he is king. Now the lion has come to the line, so let's see what songs we will sing - he pointed out.
The President of the Bosniak Party, Ervin Ibrahimović, said that Montenegro will return to the path from which it deviated.
This is a team that has won before, this is a team that had a dream to place the flag of Montenegro in New York and in Brussels, and we will also place those opponents where they belong. Montenegro can no longer be led by those who did not say a big and heartfelt Yes at the referendum. That is why we will achieve that dream that Montenegro depends only on you, citizens, we cannot allow Montenegro to be run by those who do not love it. It must be led by those who said YES to eternity in 2006 - said Ibrahimović.
The leader of the Social Democrats, Damir Šehović, assessed that all opponents of Đukanović are afraid of the famous insurgent slogan "For the right, honor and freedom of Montenegro".
That's why Montenegro is once again at the door of history. And this time the stake is high. The most important since the referendum when we restored the statehood of Montenegro. All of us who are in the foundations of this must pass the test of maturity and come together like in 2006 and show that Montenegro has never knelt before anyone, nor will it. Let's raise the Montenegrin flag high - said Šehović.
Đukanović's rivals can be called, as Aleksandar Bogdanović said, just like the half-broken ferry "August 30".
Source - POBJEDA
