You’re reading a daily contextual review of the news that marked the previous day.
By Ljubomir Filipović, CdM observer
Government ensuring continuity
It’s the government of continuity, shoulder to shoulder with the governments of Mr Slobodan Milošević and Mr Radovan Karadžić. In terms of morality and ideology. I guess we all know that now. Yesterday, after they all backed Mr Leposavić’s statement, the whole world sees them like that. Reactions are emerging. The Dutch Embassy reacted, and they rarely do it. They reacted as the Srebrenica genocide issue is especially painful to them. Germany’s Ambassador to Montenegro, Mr Robert Weber, reacted as well, noting that he was worried about path Montenegro was taking. The Bulgarian Embassy also had a comment. The European Union did it as well. The spokeswoman of the European Commission, Ms Ana Pisonero, tweeted that the EU “rejects and condemns any denial, relativization or misinterpretation of the genocide in Srebrenica”. The overall reaction of the government was banal. It seems as if they wish to say they do not recognize but respect the 2009 resolution of the Montenegrin parliament. As if they regret when they say that they “can’t amend courts’ rulings”. In the end, they say that “some people can’t be genocidal while other are saints”, as if anyone ever claimed it. Let’s recall the people who are members of the government backing this statement.
Minister Vladimir Leposavić who caused all this mayhem, but actually showed the world the ideology of this government, made another statement. He told he hadn’t denied the genocide, but continued to make the verdict of The Hague tribunal meaningless, telling that the court issued verdicts based on the “epic poetry of a 19th century writer”. He touched on The Hague tribunal, noting that “it didn’t manage to create conditions for bringing together people”.
The opposition required Mr Leposavić’s dismissal, while CIVIS, being the member of the coalition ‘Black on White’, warned of such behavior, as they may reverse their decision to back the government if it continues. MP Božena Jelušić opened the door to the government reshuffle, and according to her, there’s no place for Mr Vladimir Leposavić in it. While her boss, Mr Dritan Abazović, supports the afore-mentioned shameful behavior. The CGO was adamant – Mr Leposavić must leave.
Mr Boro Kontić wrote an excellent text tackling reasons behind such a scandalous comment of Mr Vladimir Leposavić. I highly recommend it.
Bratić in the parliament
That we did not have enough of Mr Leposavić’s scandal in the parliament, and that it takes two to tango, was proved by Minister Vesna Bratić, who caused chaos by refusing to answer the question about the genocide in Srebrenica and clearly state her position on the Montenegrin language, state and people, whose existence she had denied not so long ago. MP Damir Šehović, the former education minister, among others, reminded her of that. The Faculty of the Montenegrin Language and Literature reacted to belittling of the Minister in the parliament.
Sexist outburst
While Minister Bratić winked at parliament’s speaker, he addressed the MP Draginja Vuksanović Stanković several times, suggesting her how she should behave, telling her that “she doesn’t look good when she’s angry”. This sexist outburst was posted by his party as a highlight of the session. After a range of condemnations by parties and the civic sector, Mr Aleksa Bečić apologized but his colleagues from the party continued to attack Ms Vuksanović Stanković from their official profiles and banalise his statement.
Interview with Montenegrin Bishop Boris
My long-planned and prepared interview with Bishop Boris provoked numerous reactions. The Montenegrin Orthodox Church hates no one, particularly not the Serbian people. The fact that we sometimes talk about sins committed by the Serbian Orthodox Church against us and point out how some alleged “worshippers” of the Serbian Orthodox Church treat Montenegro and the CPC is not and cannot be hatred, said the CPC Bishop, Boris Bojović, in an interview for CdM. He further explains that Bishop Kirilo is only his “blood relation” – their grandpas were brothers, while he and Kiriolo belong to two different peoples.
Budget hourglass
Mr Branislav Radulović, a university professor and head of the Association of Lawyers of Montenegro, indicates what it means when the budget is late in an excellent chronology of budget, as he calls them, anti-systemic steps, using the metaphor of buttoning up a shirt, when a mistake is made with doing the first button.
That’s all for today. Have a nice day.
