WORLD NEWS FOR MONTENEGRO DIASPORA
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AUTHOR:M.J. GDNUS
The Association of Antifascists from Žabljak, through a statement, reacted to the announced gathering in the town under Durmitor on the occasion of the stay in our country and visit to this town of the President of the Republic of Croatia, Zoran Milanović.
We are reporting their reaction in full:
“Through the media, we have read with disbelief a series of media articles, spins, and disinformation regarding the official visit of the President of the Republic of Croatia Milanović to the Durmitor region.
And all the media hype would be nothing or significant if it were not for the worrying silence of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is playing dead. Blink if you are not kidnapped or scared.
Considering the tensions in the previous period and relations with our Croatian neighbors, there are "open" issues that particularly affect the negotiation chapters as well as the path to membership in the European Union, which we hear so much about from all actors of the political and public scene of Montenegro, especially from the actors of the ruling elite, i.e. the Government of Montenegro and the President of Montenegro.
It is particularly worrying that certain local government officials, by expressing positions that may harm state policy and the strategy for fulfilling the negotiation chapters, are directly jeopardizing Montenegro's European path, instructed by their political mentors from Podgorica or elsewhere. They bring instability to the part of fulfilling the negotiation chapters and Montenegro's path to the European Union.
Let us also remind ourselves of the importance and role of Croats in the history of our region. The Gušić couple, university professors from Zagreb, left us the first film recording of Durmitor as well as valuable scientific research material, before the Second World War. Professor Dr. Gvido Nonveje, from Split, a UNESCO expert, with his research on Durmitor, perhaps the most presented to the world public those natural rarities that deserve to have Durmitor on the UNESCO list, which has made our region recognizable worldwide. In the Durmitor V Battalion of the 4th Montenegrin Brigade, Dalmatians and Croats fought side by side with our ancestors. Take and watch the film, read the book Flora Durmitora published by CANU and the Monograph of the fighters of the 4th Montenegrin Brigade. In this short reminiscence, let us also remember our wonderful neighbors from Dubrovnik who were among the first weekend settlers who built their houses and provided hospitality wherever they were.
The Republic of Croatia is a country with which we have good neighborly relations at an enviable level, their national community in Montenegro has made and continues to make an immeasurable contribution to the emancipation of Montenegro and raises the civic concept of Montenegro to a higher level.
The anti-fascists of Žabljak also say that the past and the inglorious events of the war period during the breakup of Yugoslavia, which are a great stain and tragedy of this area, must not be the guiding star in the coming period.
Anti-fascist Montenegro and anti-fascist Croatia are one.
These are indissoluble bonds that no one, no human event or human tragedy can break. No one can forget our Dalmatians, who fought for the freedom of our people from domestic traitors, the Chetniks and Ustashas.
We expect the state authorities of Montenegro, first and foremost the President of Montenegro, to immediately react to this frivolity that is being conveyed that the President of Croatia is not welcome in the town under Durmitor and to invite him and host him together with the people of Durmitor who have always been good hosts. We call on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs not to pretend that it does not exist and to immediately react officially
And of course we call on the leading trio of local authorities in Žabljak (president, president of the assembly and vice president) to invite the President of Croatia to visit the municipality of Žabljak because if they are not sincere in their intentions to fight for entry into the European Union, then the sincerity of the Government of Montenegro is also questionable.
But regardless, Montenegro will enter the European Union even if we have to carry them on our shoulders towards it," the statement reads, along with greetings and welcome to him and his compatriots.
