WORLD NEWS FOR MONTENEGRO DIASPORA
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AUTHOR:M.J. GDNUS
Yesterday, the informal student group "Where Tomorrow" submitted a document to the Government of Montenegro in which they reiterated their demands and called on Prime Minister Milojko Spajić to organize a press conference by February 1st and publicly present all actions, measures, and activities that have been taken since the heinous crime committed on January 1st in Cetinje, as well as the reasons for fulfilling or not fulfilling their demands.
We are reprinting their letter in its entirety:
Dear Mr. Spajić,
We are addressing you as members of the student group "Where Tomorrow?", which consists of students from Montenegrin faculties. In our social activities to date, we have clearly defined and publicly presented our goals and ways of achieving them, which are exclusively in the field of social activism and changing the Montenegrin social environment for the better.
In order to achieve these goals, it is necessary to involve all social entities in Montenegro, and especially the Government of Montenegro, which, in accordance with the Constitution of Montenegro, conducts domestic and foreign policy. For this reason, we hereby submit to you the following requests, which we have already publicly announced and requested their implementation, so that you, as the Prime Minister of Montenegro, in accordance with your constitutional powers, initiate and undertake the necessary actions and activities to achieve them.
The requests are as follows:
1.) Resignation of the Minister of Internal Affairs and the Deputy Prime Minister for Security and Defense.
Resignation is an act of moral and objective responsibility that restores citizens' trust in the government, and which demonstrates readiness to take responsibility for the consequences that occurred during political leadership.
The inability to ensure the safety of citizens and the failure to take appropriate measures are the reason for the objective obligation for which responsibility for the loss of life is sought. For this reason, it is necessary that in the future the security sector is not a party prey, but is led by experts.
2.) More prompt and proactive action by the competent institutions on the issue of weapons possession.
Confiscation and destruction of all illegal and concealed weapons. Review of all issued weapons permits through serious, not just formal, psychiatric and other medical and psychological examinations on an annual basis. This requirement implies the mandatory deactivation of all weapons for which permits are obtained due to sentimental value. This also means strong control of weapon possession, and a systemic approach to this issue that will not increase repression against citizens, but will strengthen safety, security and trust among citizens and towards institutions.
3.) Reform of the system of functioning of police structures.
We demand more regular training for police officers, which will enable them to develop communication skills, empathy and professional relations towards citizens, as well as programs to simulate real crisis situations so that police officers are adequately prepared for them.
We also demand the establishment of a transparent system of evaluation of police officers' work that includes the possibility of feedback from citizens on their experiences with officers. We demand adequate and competent distribution of police officers in Montenegrin cities, which would also contribute to solving the problem of centralization of Montenegro. We demand improvement of working conditions of police officers and their professional position, primarily through the procurement of adequate equipment and means of work in accordance with EU standards. Increasing the efficiency of the Police Administration, especially in the area of training and equipment, in order to respond more adequately and efficiently to security challenges and criticisms to which the citizens of Montenegro are exposed.
4.) Return of civic education as a mandatory subject in primary and secondary schools.
Creation of a curriculum for the implementation of this subject, as well as a textbook, in the creation of which, in addition to professors of social and political sciences, various activists and experts in all relevant fields would participate. We especially emphasize the importance of the topics of anti-war action, conscientious objection and studying examples of civil disobedience during the period of militarization in Montenegro. The educational system's obligation is to encourage the study and establishment of a peace and anti-war heritage that is currently completely secondary to the study of the war past
The return of civic education is not just another lesson that our students need, but the main thing in their development. If we want citizens who think, participate and change things for the better, we must stop taking away from young people what belongs to them - the knowledge of how to be free and responsible people. Ignoring the need for civic education is complicity in the collapse of society. In civic education classes, students should learn about their rights and obligations as citizens. Students must know how and whom to turn to for any problem with which they face as citizens and how to help others in such situations.
5.) Improving relationships and mental health care.
We demand the formation of a special commission consisting of reputable psychologists and psychiatrists who will compile a psychological manual for crisis situations in which they will advise citizens on how to behave in these situations.
We also demand urgent consideration of the mandatory creation of new jobs for psychologists in all Montenegrin institutions, as well as urgent consideration of the construction of a new psychiatric clinic in the north, which also contributes to the decentralization of Montenegro.
We demand that the public service promote mental health care through weekly shows dedicated exclusively to mental health care.
We demand the planning of a campaign aimed at promoting mental health care, which will include workshops held by a team of psychologists and psychiatrists in all cities in Montenegro.
In addition to the above requirements, it is necessary to consider the requirements proposed by HRA – Human Rights Action and the Center for Women's Rights, especially in relation to declaring a moratorium on issuing licenses for the possession and possession of weapons until the Law on Weapons is amended.
We believe that the fulfillment of all the above-mentioned requirements will benefit the entire Montenegrin society, especially young people and children, because at a time when the greatest "concern" for security in the world is "cyber security", we in Montenegro, unfortunately, have to worry about basic life safety because even being "outside" and walking through the streets of Montenegro carries a great "security risk" for us.
We demand that the Government of Montenegro publicly present all actions, measures, activities that have been undertaken since the heinous crime committed on 01.01.2025 in Cetinje, as well as the reasons for fulfilling or not fulfilling our requirements.
Please inform us in writing to the email address mailto:kolektiv.kamo.sjutra@gmail.com about all actions and deadlines set in order to meet the above-mentioned requirements, which should be taken by the Government of Montenegro headed by you, the competent ministries and state administration bodies.
