English

Citizens are to choose between a modern, secular or a theocratic state in elections

Srđan Darmanović

In the forthcoming parliamentary elections, citizens will choose whether Montenegro will be a modern secular state of all citizens, nations and religions or a theocratic state, dominated by one nation, one religion and one church, said Montenegro’s foreign affairs minister, Srđan Darmanović.

In an interview for MINA news agency, he said that for everyone who desire a pro-Western, democratic, secular state, without hesitating about its Euro-Atlantic orientation, the decision in the upcoming elections should be made easily.

Minister Darmanović said it was important for MNE to keep up its foreign policy direction based on Euro-Atlantic aspirations as well as the EU integration after the elections.

“However, there is no consensus on the country’s foreign policy in our society and politics. The differences are, in fact, quite sharp,” Mr Darmanović said.

He believes that the main opponents to the current government and their spiritual source – the Serbian Orthodox Church, are challenging the country’s foreign policy, primarily the NATO membership and regional policy.

“According to that projection, Montenegro is mostly perceived as a satellite state within a broader program that was called the” alliance of Serbian countries “in the early 1990s, and today several names are used, including the latest “Serbian world.”

Commenting on the recent statements of Serbia president Aleksandar Vučić’s office, announcing to set up a team for the ‘protection of shrines’ on the territories where the Serbian people reside, Minister Darmanović told: “It’s obvious what this is all about even when you hear those words taken from religious processions in MNE.”

“Taking into account this whole situation, the citizens of Montenegro once again hold in their hands the key to the character of the state and its foreign policy direction,” assessed Mr Darmanović.

Ever since the adoption of the religious freedom law, Montenegro has been facing, he added, an unprecedented disinformation campaign on a daily basis led by the Serbian media.

 

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