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Ten to Eight – Montenegro and Ratko Mladic

You are reading a daily contextual review of the news that marked the previous weekend.

By Ljubomir Filipović, CdM observer

Yesterday, the Appeals Chamber of the Hague Tribunal finally confirmed the judgment against Ratko Mladic for genocide and crimes against humanity against non-Serbs during the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH). The Appeals Chamber dismissed all appeals by Mladic’s defense. The Appeals Chamber of the Mechanism for International Criminal Courts did not accept the Prosecution’s appeal that Mladic be found guilty of genocide in six municipalities in BiH.

Almost the whole world welcomed the passing of the judgment. From the officials of the European Parliament and the European Commission, the Secretary General of NATO, to the President of the USA, Joseph Biden personally. In his address to the public on the occasion of the judgment, President Biden emphasized the importance of regional leaders recognizing this verdict as a fact.

Serbian officials and the Republic of Srpska officials were not alone in criticizing the court’s decision this time. In addition to being supported by the Russian Federation through its ambassador to the UN, there was also a support by the new authorities in Podgorica, i.e. a part of them. Montenegro appeared for the first time in the report of the Residual Mechanism before the Security Council, as part of the platform for genocide denial – Chief Prosecutor of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Courts Serge Brammertz said that denial and glorification of war criminals “are the last degree of genocide”. He also referred to a recent statement by Justice and Human and Minority Rights Minister Vladimir Leposavic, who said he denied the Srebrenica genocide: “In Montenegro, the justice minister recently denied the Srebrenica genocide after previous governments held a firm stand in respecting the verdict of the International Court of Justice”, said Mr Brammertz. Yesterday’s press release of the New Serbian Democracy (NSD), in which Ratko Mladic was called the winner, is another proof that the Montenegrin Government is plunging into obscurity. It should be recalled that the NSD has staff in very high and important positions in Parliament and at management and operational positions of the executive branch.

URA slightly welcomed the verdict on Twitter, even though it has genocide relativizers, like Ms Tatjana Becanovic, in its ranks, and even though its leader and DPM Dritan Abazovic denied that mr Leposavic denied genocide.

That “Mladic is convicted, but that the idea in whose name he killed is not” was concluded in the column/reaction for CdM by Andrej Nikolaidis.

Presidential bulletin

President Milo Djukanovic gave an interview to Belgrade’s Danas in which he sharply criticized Belgrade’s policy, making an analogy with the 1990s. He also mentioned that Russia was expanding its influence in the region through Serbia. Following this was a conversation with Baroness Anabel McNicol Goldie, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defense of the United Kingdom. Yes, with that real baroness from the Prime Minister’s speech.

Parliamentary majority bulletin

We learned from MP Milan Knezevic, the chair of the parliamentary committee on defense and security, that appointments in the security sector are made through the WhatsApp group. And that’s something, at least they didn’t do it via Viber.

Speaker of Parliament and the Democrats leader Aleksa Becic met with the Forza representatives. It remains to be seen whether this is an announcement of some closer cooperation. Of all the ruling parties, the Democrats have the best cooperation with minority parties.

The SDP, which supports and maintains the Government of the pro-government coalition in Tivat, reacted after the pressures yesterday to the announcement of the broadcast of Boris Malagurski’s propaganda film in which Montenegro is slandered. Other members of the coalition from the ranks of the councilors of the largest group criticized this behavior of the SDP on Facebook yesterday. It is finally time for the SDP to leave power in Tivat, but also in Budva.

PzP MP Nebojsa Medojevic resigned from his position in Parliament. Mr Medojevic promised to do it earlier, and now he has cited everything he said about the Government before as the reason. Mr Medojevic will receive a salary for a full year. Whether he expects a government reshuffle or new elections remains to be seen.

Charity example

The Red Cross announced that a Montenegrin family from Berlin, which wants to remain anonymous for the general public, regularly helps their activities. So far, they have participated in numerous humanitarian projects. Among other things, in cooperation with the Red Cross of Montenegro, the family has helped the endangered inhabitants of our country and neighboring countries on several occasions.

Reading recommendations

Stefan Todorović writes for Gradski about the celebration of 50 years of CANU work.

Aleksander Radoman writes for AntenaM about the appointment of the jury for the 13 July award.

That’s it for today. See you tomorrow at the same time.

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