WORLD NEWS FOR MONTENEGRO DIASPORA
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AUTHOR: M. JAHOVIĆ
GDNUS-The Bosniak Democratic Movement, of which you are the head, was recently founded. What are the reasons and the goal and mission of establishing BDP?
SŠ- By decision of the Ministry of Regional Investment Development and Cooperation with Non-Governmental Organizations from September 17, 2024, the Bosniak Democratic Movement (BDP) was entered in the Register of Political Parties.
For those who are less knowledgeable, I will remind you that on July 31 of this year, that is, a little less than two months ago, we went public and said that we wanted to form a new political project. We seriously and systematically approached the organization of such a task, which, in addition to this important and essential dimension, also had this formal-legal dimension, which refers to the fulfillment of the requirements of the Law on Political Parties.
We organized it under the given circumstances in a very short period of time after the 44th reconstructed Government was voted, showing the maturity that we don't all think the same way. At that time, we clearly stated that the leadership of the previous political party to which we dominantly belonged was narrowly oriented towards lucrative and particular interests, and that as such it is not and cannot be synonymous with the entire Bosniak people in Montenegro.
Three entities dominantly determine the name of our political organization: Bosniaks as a state-creating people in the country of our grandfathers, and the country of our children, Democratic - because we care about democratic achievements and the system of values that it carries, considering that the previous party that we supported and shaped into important political project was no longer democratic and lately it has taken the forms of autocracy, and the Movement- because we truly want movement in the future with the intention of returning the Bosniak community to the pedestal it belongs to.
The movement will be completely open to all free-thinking people, including those who do not declare themselves Bosniaks, but express themselves in another way, which is clearly recognized in the Constitution of Montenegro. In order to be part of our team, it is enough that they truly want to improve the position of the community and all citizens of Montenegro. This will give the Movement additional value. The nation is not proven, it is expressed, for many it is a personal and subjective feeling, so the doors of our movement will be open to such people as well. Etons in itself cannot be any advantage, but neither can it be a weakness.
In addition to dealing with issues of identity, tradition, but also cultural and linguistic peculiarities, and the overall issue of the rights of less numerous peoples in Montenegro, the curiosity of our political activity will be a strong representation of issues from the economic sphere that can and should unite all citizens. This is first and foremost our greatest interest - people's quality of life and a higher standard of living - and for this reason we emphasize that we will also discuss these topics and give them importance in relation to several interested stakeholders.
GDNUS- You were in the Bosniak Party. For a long period of time, you pointed to the shortcomings in the work of the top of that party. The final split with them happened at the moment when that party decided to enter into a coalition with pro-Serbian and pro-Russian parties in Montenegro. Does this decision of the BS harm the interests of Bosniaks and Montenegrin national interests in general?
SŠ-That's right, I held many positions in BS for over a decade. I was a member of the Main Committee and the Executive Committee of the party on several occasions. I was twice the president of the young BS, who was elected both times by the Congress as the largest body of that party entity. I was also the spokesperson of the party for over four years. I joined the Bosniak party in the European People's Party (EPP) in 2019 when I was holding the position of international secretary. Back then, BS followed its program and political principles and as such was a respectable political organization.
After the events surrounding the reconstruction of the 44th Government at the end of July of this year, we appreciated that our role should not only be one of observation and consumerism, but rather a driving and creative one. That is why today and here we are in a position to make the Movement such. As responsible people, we could not allow such an opportunistic approach to politics.
We have clearly articulated the wishes of our people, we will focus on the needs of the people, this is the answer to the people's call, the people's answer in relation to individual and particular interests shaped through newly formed departments, fragmented and fictitiously created through gas reservoirs and oil wells that want to present themselves as interests our community.
GDNUS-How do you assess the situation in Montenegrin society in the past 4 years.
SŠ-My experience of all those governments that existed in the past 4 years is that they were unstable. It is completely normal for you to have different opinions in the parliament, but it is not natural for you to have different opinions in the Government itself. We have a situation where the Government acts like a well-organized orchestra, and the constituents of the government do not agree on many issues, it is heterogeneous and very complex. This current one is the largest in Montenegrin history, and perhaps on European soil. Much larger countries with millions of inhabitants have far fewer members of government. Therefore, 32 members of the Government for such a small country is just too bulky an administration and this fact does not contribute to the thesis that public administration is a service for all citizens and that it should be rational and efficient. It is not normal to have fictional and fictitious departments that used to be at the level of departments, directorates, administrations, agencies, and today have been turned into ministries to satisfy someone's political appetite. That's not right. A normal government should function homogeneously, and if it has different views on certain issues, it should be resolved before the constitution of the government itself, and possibly put a moratorium on certain issues. All those governments since 2020 have shown heterogeneity and complexity. Citizens do not live better. We witness this every day by the rising prices of foodstuffs and energy products. Inflation is increasingly present, it is largely imported, but it is also the result of a political instability that we constantly have in Montenegro. In order to talk about prosperity and any other progress, we need to have political stability.
GDNUS-Do you think that with this kind of government, Montenegro can become a member of the EU by 2028.
SŠ-Otherwise, I am an optimist, both in politics and in life. However, it is very difficult to forecast such an outcome until 2028, although such an agenda should be unifying in Montenegrin society. We have a strict attitude of neighboring Croatia towards officials in Montenegro who have been declared persona non grata. I will remind you that Croatia is a traditionally friendly country and our first EU neighbor, a member of the NATO alliance. There are political parties in the government that do not recognize the independence of neighboring Kosovo. It seems to me that this does not contribute to the regional strengthening of relations between the countries of the Western Balkans, and therefore slows down our European path.
GDNUS-Let's go back to the Bosniak Democratic Movement. What are the political principles you will stand for?
SŠ-Our acronym and abbreviation is GDP, and as such it has economic symbolism - GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT. Perhaps it is symbolic, but for us, economic identity is almost equally important in addition to national identity. Bearing in mind the fact that in recent years predictable economic normality has been completely overthrown and we almost constantly have the presence of a crisis which results, and which we witness daily- the rise in the prices of food and energy products, and the drastic change in the business environment. Where is Montenegro in all of this, if we know that a good part of the citizens are concerned about the economic situation in the country, what about human resources, which seems to me to be the most important in the process of creating new value, how can we amortize and reduce the departure of highly educated people from the so-called "brain drain", what about the northern region and less developed municipalities that are mainly in this region, what is the perspective of the development of infrastructure projects that should further bring our cities, municipalities and villages closer together, what is the level of development of our agriculture, what about the state budget, especially the part related to capital investments, the increasingly present inflation, which all of us as hosts feel, ... All of these are matters of fundamental importance for the lives of our people and we will pay full attention to them.
We are sure that this idea has a basis in the people, it is the result of the conversation of a large number of people and a response to the situation that we want to change for the better.
What follows is painstaking work on strengthening the infrastructure, establishing municipal organizations and positioning the party in the political sky of Montenegro. We expect serious work in the field, strengthening of our network and infrastructure, many conversations through the establishment of a new political culture, exchange of opinions and dialogue. We will be present in all areas where our people live, we will spare no energy and time to dedicate ourselves to them and help solve all the problems they have.
Already in the coming months, we are planning the 1st Congress of the Movement, where we will elect the leadership, complete all movement bodies, and adopt all important strategic documents.
GDNUS-At the founding in early August, you said that BDP would be the number one option among the Bosniak people. Young and educated people form the backbone of the GDP. What are your expectations?
SŠ-Bosniak Democratic Movement will be our extended family, a symbiosis of people of different profiles from whom everyone expects to have at least a sense of belonging. The more quality people are gathered and united around the party's values and ideology, the more likely and certain the assumptions for our growth and development will be. It will not be easy, it is the beginning of the story, but I am optimistic that we can and must offer the citizens an alternative option - an option that will be superior in the years ahead and the number 1 option for the Bosniak people in Montenegro.
What we can promise is perseverance and sincerity in the political struggle we are leading. Just when we are thought we found all the answers, the questions changed. And again and again. However, it will not be difficult for us to continue and shape a new political reality.
GDNUS-Who do you see as a partner on the political scene of Montenegro, and who cannot be your collaborator at this moment?
SŠ-Our principle is that we will talk to everyone. Political poles in Montenegro are a reality. Those structures that accept and respect our specificities will be our closest partners. At this moment, we are focused on strengthening our own network and developing the potential we have. There will be an opportunity to discuss this after we have constituted all the bodies of the movement.
GDNUS-Do you think that Montenegro has enough political and civil wisdom to resist the malignant influences of Belgrade and Moscow and return to the right path, which leads it to the family of developed European democracies?
SŠ- Our commitments on the external and international level are clear, Montenegro must continue its European path and become the first next member of the EU. Such an approach has no alternative. Our orientation towards the West is partly based on the fact that our people live in the countries of Western Europe. Strengthening the position of Montenegro within the NATO alliance is also an important segment of our program.
The greatest interests of our people are completely complementary and in agreement with what is the survival of Montenegro as a civil state, multi-ethnic and multi-religious, a member of the EU and the NATO alliance in which Bosniaks are an equal and respected people, partner and ally of the state, and never servants or vassals of other people's interests. Close cooperation with our traditional friends from other nations, with whom we create multi-ethnicity and multi-religious harmony, is a pledge for creating a common future.
Our policy can be characterized as pacifist, with the best intentions, interested in closer relations and stronger relations with our neighbors, with full respect for state sovereignty and the integrity of the state in which they live.
We will be a partner and interlocutor for the international community on all those topics that are of interest to the Bosniak people and independent and sovereign Montenegro.
GDNUS-There is a large diaspora from Montenegro. How should we establish cooperation and relations with our emigrants?
SŠ-Our efforts are not subversive, but good-neighborly, with an expressed willingness to build a society of diversity. Such a hypothesis is supported by numerous examples, and one of the most striking ones is our emigrant communities - our diaspora, which for decades has existed in the countries of Western Europe, the United States of America, the Republic of Turkey, but also in the countries of the Western Balkan region.
These are people who are our best ambassadors and representatives in the countries where they live and work. During the summer vacation, they stayed in our bazaars again and again, supporting our economic activity, helping relatives and friends, worrying about their homeland and wondering where it is headed. They are always there when you need to support quality projects, they participate in many humanitarian actions, many of them are also investors, and very often they substitute what should be done by state and local authorities. Through conversations with them, we feel concern and anxiety, they wonder where Montenegro is going and what will happen to their country and homeland.
Diaspora is our very important resource. Strengthening our relationship with them will be very important to us. It was the voice of the diaspora that was very important in terms of the necessity of the new political offer that we are presenting.
GDNUS-Your message to our readers.
SŠ-I am happy to establish the first contact with your readers. I hope to visit the USA and your representative office in Chicago soon.
