WORLD NEWS FOR MONTENEGRO DIASPORA
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MUWN-The Montenegrin diaspora has been anxiously watching the situation in our homeland for the last two and a half years. The state is continuously collapsing in all areas by pro-Serbian and pro-Russian authorities. Can it be overcome and in what way?
Zirojevic-Since the parliamentary elections in 2020, Zirojević-Montenegro is in a rather unenviable situation. For the first time since independence in 2006, power was won by structures that did not want a European, Euro-Atlantic, independent Montenegro. The beliefs and expectations of individuals that these structures have matured democratically to the extent that they do not harm the state and its institutions, unfortunately turned out to be unfounded, so in the past two and a half years we have had a continuous collapse of the state in, as you rightly said in the question, all spheres.
We firmly believe, and we have publicly announced this on several occasions, that Montenegro can face this situation in which it has found itself only through extraordinary parliamentary elections, after which it will receive a clearly European and Euro-Atlantic parliamentary majority, from which a clearly European and Euro-Atlantic government will emerge.
MUWN-Mass civil protests are also being organized, demanding the withdrawal of the Law on the President and an agreement on the judges of the Constitutional Court, as well as early parliamentary elections. Will the protests continue?
Zirojević - As far as the Social Democrats are concerned, our position is very clear - the disputed, unconstitutional law that the current majority adopted must be withdrawn from the legal circulation of Montenegro, and that is a prerequisite for us to sit at the same table. Any Government resulting from the aforementioned law cannot and will not have legitimacy, both internally and internationally, and this is the message that our international partners sent to Montenegro, i.e. the current parliamentary majority. Early parliamentary elections are our second request, and the procedure related to the election of judges of the Constitutional Court, after the results of the vote in the Parliament, was returned to the beginning and now, in the shortest possible time, the competition for the election of judges of the Constitutional Court should be re-announced and an agreement reached within even a three-fifths majority regarding the election of all four judges. So, after fulfilling these two conditions of ours, we can sit down and agree, not on one, but on four candidates for judges of the Constitutional Court and choose four of them, which is the only guarantee of the full functionality of this institution.
MUWN-The political showdown with dissidents is in effect. The latest example of this is the request to remove the immunity of 5 representatives of the DPS and SD. What epilogue do you expect and is this one of the examples of obvious direct political influence and pressure on the prosecution?
Zirojević - Of course, this is an obvious example of how the Special State Prosecutor's Office, unfortunately, placed itself at the disposal of a corrupt politician, the outgoing Prime Minister Dritan Abazović. They are not interested in whose drug it was because of which innocent people were in prison for more than a year, nor how we got from 1400 kg to 1200 kg. They are not even interested in what happens to the missing cigars that were "lit" by the authorities, but the main culprit of those events, a high-ranking official of the GP URA, is walking freely in Montenegro, probably because he did not chant the name of its president, Dritan Abazović. They are not interested in the double negative opinion of the SAI for the operations of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports during the mandate of Vesna Bratić, as well as the double negative opinion on the final account for 2021. We have many more such examples, and they are related to numerous government structures from August 30, 2020 until today.
As far as we at SD are concerned, we are looking forward to this process and can't wait for its final epilogue before the competent state authorities. We certainly expect that, either by dismissing the indictment, or by establishing innocence through the process itself, our officials will be completely freed from responsibility in this case because, no matter how certain institutions are in the function of Abazović and his Government, things are so clear here that nothing else can be done. can expect.
MUWN- Prominent civil activists, journalists and NGO activists are also targeted by the regime. The latest in the series is the investigation of BIRN. It is a continuation of intimidation and endangerment of basic human rights. How to deal with it?
Zirojević - BIRN's investigation is, I would say, more than scandalous. Unfortunately, such a climate is forming that, not only in Montenegro, but also in the region, it is possible to declare prominent fighters for human rights as extremists, at the same time inaccurately stating the information on the basis of which you mark them in that way. It is obvious, therefore, that this is an organized campaign that was supposed to be fuel for the outgoing prime minister to promote the story of "Montenegrin nationalism", which is nothing more than a bunch of nonsense. Let me be completely clear and open - Montenegrin nationalism never existed, nor does it exist today, and the only thing that drives all of us who are a thorn in the side of the traitor Abazović is pure patriotism and love for the country, which he, together with his associates, is trying to destroy all seams.
This kind of hybrid war is not easy to fight, but I believe that one way, or the only way, is to be unwavering in stating the facts that are definitely on our side and that, regardless of potential personal animosities, all of us who are opposite politically pol Abazović and the people around him, we protect each other from such attacks and stand side by side on the defense of Montenegro.
MUWN- Has the international community properly looked at the problem that exists in Montenegro and what consequences it may have not only on it but on the entire region?
Zirojević - I think that the international community, after the adoption of the unconstitutional Law on the President despite the recommendations of the Venice Commission, and based on that the European Commission that this law should not be adopted, has finally become aware of who it is dealing with when we talk about the current parliamentary majority. We constantly, in contacts with the representatives of the international community in Podgorica, try to explain what it is about and what the actual situation is, but we must be aware that the other side, using the most blatant untruths, communicates with the international community.
The consequences of the situation in Montenegro can be very dangerous not only for our country, but also for the entire region because we are aware of how interconnected things are in the Western Balkans and that any escalation in one of the countries cannot pass without consequences for the other countries. Especially since, in the case of Montenegro, but also in the case of Bosnia and Herzegovina, we have the open interference of neighboring Serbia, its negative influence and, through it, the negative influence of the Russian Federation. In this sense, the situation in Montenegro should be dealt with very seriously and prevented from escalating, with the aim of preserving the peace and stability of the entire region.
MUWN- The key factors in all of this are the regimes in Belgrade and Moscow. Are our partners from the West, above all in Brussels and Washington, aware of the fact that the current majority is pro-Russian and pro-Serbian?
Zirojević - This is already a question that needs to be addressed to our partners from the West, i.e. Brussels and Washington first of all. From the perspective of someone who lives in Montenegro and deals with politics here, I would say that they are aware, but not enough.
MUWN-Prime Minister Dritan Abazović obviously wants to push Montenegro into the so-called Open Balkans, an initiative about which there is no valid information, which is contrary to the European path. however, Gabrijel Eskobar gave support to that initiative several times. Is there a danger that, like the fundamental contract with the Church of Serbia, Abazović will push Montenegro into the disastrous Open Balkans in a similar way, and how can this be prevented?
Zirojević-Absolutely that this danger exists and we already have unofficial reports in the media that it is planned to be done by the end of the year. First of all, it is incredible that the Government without any legitimacy, which was voted no confidence in the Parliament of Montenegro, makes a decision on such an important issue, completely ignoring the opinion of the vast majority in the Parliament, which opposes Montenegro's membership in the OB.
If the outgoing prime minister and his government do not accept these facts, the only way to prevent this, the latest betrayal directed by Dritan Abazović, is even more massive civil protests, which will send a clear message to the citizens of Montenegro against membership in the Open Balkans.
MUWN- Every day we have the opportunity to read insults and threats, which supporters and leaders of pro-Serbian parties and the Church of Serbia direct towards national Montenegrins and members of other minority nations. You too have been under attack for a long time. The prosecutor's office and the judiciary either do not react or cover up and reject such atrocities. Are the lives of non-Serbs endangered in Montenegro?
Zirojević-If we processed every insult and threat we receive during the day, we would not have time to deal with anything else besides that work. The competent authorities, of course, are doing absolutely nothing in this matter, and I can freely say that, as representatives of citizens of Montenegro, we feel unprotected in this regard. This, of course, cannot shake us at all in our intention to continue fighting for all those values that we have been fighting for until now.
Unfortunately, the perception you expressed in the question is the perception held by a large number of citizens of Montenegro who do not identify themselves as Serbs. No one's life has been endangered yet, but in this kind of atmosphere we live in, it is only a matter of time before that happens.
MUWN-We witnessed the torture and brutality of the police towards Montenegrins at the belvedere and in Nikšić. Even today, there is no epilogue or proceedings, even though the evidence is numerous and indisputable. Your comment?
Zirojević-After more than a year since Belvedere, we still waited for justice to at least begin to appear - the Basic State Prosecutor's Office in Cetinje initiated proceedings against officers of the Police Administration for making false reports and excessive use of force. In other words, because of the mistreatment of citizens and attempts to cover it up. What will be the final epilogue of this procedure remains to be seen.
As for the event on July 13 in Nikšić, the situation is identical to that at Belvedere. The police provided a route for a group of extremists who led them to the city center, where a peaceful celebration of the National Day was organized, and who, after that, attacked and provoked the gathered citizens. After that, it began to be lived, not by those who started the conflict, but by citizens who, until that moment, peacefully celebrated the national holiday.
However, justice is slow, but attainable, so we are sure that even these misdeeds of individuals from the police leadership will not go unpunished.
MUWN-The Montenegrin diaspora has been completely on the sidelines for almost 3 years. State institutions in charge of this show a complete lack of interest, and the most prominent representatives from the diaspora are under attack. What is your message to expats?
Zirojević-My message to emigrants and the Montenegrin diaspora is not to give up. Regardless of the fact that today Montenegro is governed by a reborn, treacherous government, our diaspora must never forget that Montenegro is their home. No government, no individual, no organization can change that fact, just as they can't change the fact that, no matter how threatened we feel, we who live in Montenegro have no other house but this one, and we don't want to have one.
So, our mission is clear - we from Montenegro, and you from the diaspora, wherever you are, must unwaveringly continue the fight for the Montenegro that we created, a European, Euro-Atlantic, civil, multi-ethnic, multi-religious, secular Montenegro, of all its citizens.
author - M.Jahović
