You are reading a daily contextual review of the news that marked the previous day.
After last week’s column by Mr Andrej Nikolaidis, there was a lot of public talk about the option of leaving the new Government to solve the issue of genocide deniers in its own ranks. With the attitude that it will not participate in the work of the Parliament, the DPS stirred up passions in the ruling coalition and achieved what should have happened a long time ago – that they look each other in the eyes. At the moment, there is a great panic in the ruling majority because of this. The Prime Minister also announced a possible reshuffle of the government if Mr Leposavić‘s dismissal does not pass. Mr Krivokapić has the hardest time because he has seriously shaken his authority. Mr Dritan Abazović, who defended Mr Leposavić in March, saying that he did not deny genocide, now accuses the DPS of supporting the denial of genocide.
All in all, this is very healing, and if the DPS maintains its position to boycott the session, the Democrats will have to vote for the dismissal of Mr Leposavić, and the Government will have to solve its personnel problem. The decision not to vote for the dismissal of Mr Leposavić by all opposition parties would not be support for the denial of genocide as Government spinners and journalists want to show, but it would be an opportunity for this Government to finally look itself in the mirror. If the opposition decides to help the Government get rid of its “waste”, the fact that other genocide deniers are staying there, that the administration is full of them, will remain pushed under the carpet. To sum up, there was no better chance than last year’s election for the opposition to seriously shake up the new Government. Mr Goran Danilović noticed this yesterday when he said that the Government would be divided over this. The fact that they accuse the opposition of being helpers of the genocide deniers, should not burden them much. We will defend them. After all, we have all learned well, both in Montenegro and in the region, who is who and how everyone is positioned in terms of values.
Why isn’t the Government sending Montenegrin soldiers to Kosovo?
Minister Olivera Injac deliberately implemented the order of her boss Milan Knežević. She acted out her commitment to NATO’s obligations by talking to the Minister of Defense of Kosovo, and then made the decision not to send soldiers there “because of Covid”. It can already be heard in Kosovo that the reason for this is that the new Montenegrin majority will not send soldiers to the “holy Serbian land”, and they are right. Ms Vlora Çitaku tweeted about it yesterday, saying that this shows the attitude of the new elite towards Kosovo, but also towards NATO. This was also discussed in Brussels at a meeting between President Đukanović and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who said that it was up to Montenegro to decide whether to send troops anywhere, while President Đukanović recalled that it was within the competence of the Parliament to deal with it.
EU and Montenegro
The MEP, Mr Vladimir Bilčik, who is also the head of the EP Committee for Relations with Montenegro, commented on the report of his colleague Tonino Picula and reiterated his concern about what, according to him, looks like a change in the course of Montenegro. Mr Bilčik, unfortunately, is a lone voice in the Parliament and European institutions who speaks openly about this and many in Montenegro, who share European values, therefore feel betrayed. The paradox is that these days those who deny genocide are waving EU flags and the EU flags are being used to relativize the display of the symbols of another state in Budva, for example. I am afraid that the cooperation of anti-democratic factors in Montenegro, and a mild response from the EU, will lead to confusion of people in Montenegro about what the EU represents. We should not have a drop when it comes to the support for European integration, and as a Euro-federalist, I hope that this will not happen.
Gathering on Lovćen
While Mr Vlado Jokić removes the flag of Montenegro from the ramparts of Kotor, and thus paradigmatically shows how much the flag stings their eyes, a great deal of people is preparing to go to Ivanova Korita on 21. May. Mr Momčilo Zeković has raised the challenge of inviting people to come to Lovćen as numerous as possible. A large number of people has responded. Messrs. Boban Batrićević, Andrej Nikolaidis and I responded yesterday. I think that the chain should continue, and I am nominating all of you who are reading this and I’m inviting you to make a short video and invite your friends to join us.
Message from Washington
Montenegro made the right decision when it voted for independence in a 2006 referendum – its security is guaranteed, it sits at the same table with the most prestigious democracies and has built the most successful multiethnic democracy in the Balkans, the first US ambassador to independent Montenegro, Mr Roderick Moore, said in an interview for Voice of America.
*Reading recommendations: New column by our columnist Andrej Nikolaidis “Better will come”.
That’s it for today. I wish you a pleasant rest of the day.
