You are reading the daily contextual review of the news that marked the previous weekend.
Edited by: Ljubomir Filipović, CdM analyst
Nothing new this weekend. Echoes and reactions to last week’s events. Maybe the highlight of everything is that one MP and the Prime Minister were mansplaining to Montenegrin women about where their place is and that they should better give up politics. These are the titles that were read the most on CDM over the past week.
State of cohabitation
The president, prime minister with his deputy, and the president of the Parliament met in the government building on Friday to discuss cohabitation. In a joint generic statement after the meeting, they expressed understanding for the importance of the institutions and hope that they would overcome the differences that had characterized cohabitation in recent weeks.
Still, although they may cooperate institutionally, their political differences and views on the legitimacy of the Parliament differ. The DPS’s MP and the party’s spokesperson, Mr Miloš Nikolić, said that they would not participate in the work of the session, because in their opinion, the conditions for the session to end in accordance with the law were not met.
One area of contention is the situation in diplomacy and the recalling and appointment of new ambassadors. The Minister of Foreign Affairs paid a visit to Germany, where he marked the President of the state as the culprit for holding up the Government’s work, and also announced possible protests if Đukanović does not obey. Many have already joked that this would be the first country where the government protests against the opposition. Although, there were some similar calls in Serbia last year. The Minister said at the press conference in Berlin that he had explained to Ambassador Kuliš the reasons for her withdrawal, and she responded that those reasons were not clear to her even after the conversation.
Party-based employments
The European Commission Spokesperson, Ms Ana Pisonero, has clearly explained the EU’s expectations when it comes to administration employments. Apart from political functions that are filled in accordance with the election results, the Government must do its best that the employments in public administration be based upon “professional, impartial and merit-based criteria, in accordance with the Montenegrin Law on Civil Servants and State Employees, and European principles of public administration.” I think that both Mr Krivokapić and Mr Abazović should be aware that their moves have significantly shaken the confidence of the international partners.
But political parties continue as before. The attack is the best form of defense. The “so we are now supposed to forbid party members to apply and thus disqualify them” narrative continues. The head of the SNP, Mr Joković, talked about that, for example.
A lot of noise has been made over the appointment of the director of National Parks. Unfortunately, not so much because of her political appointment, but because of her posts on social networks, where she manipulated and desecrated Montenegrin symbols, equating them with the Nazi ones.
One of the first controversial appointments was that of Mr. Rado Milošević from URA to the position of the State Secretary in the Ministry of the Interior. An insight into his property record shows that Mr Milošević pretty much accumulated enviable property for his young age during the „regime of Milo Đukanović, when only those from the DPS were becoming rich.“ And all this coming from Viber marketing, say those who know things about him. Mr Milošević bragged on Instagram about his expensive car and photos from the gym, and thus already caught the attention of social network users.
Mansplaining
During a visit to the barracks in Danilovgrad, where he stayed with the minister, his deputy, and his advisers, the prime minister did a little of mansplaining about gender and family roles, and quite showed a lack of tact, especially when it comes to female members of our army. The Deputy Prime Minister used the opportunity to walk his party comrades, whom he appointed as advisers, at the review in Danilovgrad. These are people with very little expertise and work experience, and it is all about mere political employment.
Almost simultaneously public attention was drawn to another mansplaining, this time of the young MP Maksim Vučinić, a member of the Gender Equality Committee. I can’t decide what is worse, the attitudes of this young man, or the tepid response of the Committee’s chairperson, Ms Božena Jelušić, who, with a slight smile, tried to explain to him women’s position and role in society. Had the suffragettes had so much understanding for such things, women would still be on the margins of society. However, the reaction of civil society and the public shows that there is resistance to such attitudes, and that awareness of gender equality in Montenegro is progressing to some extent after all.
Elections in Nikšić
The handover of councilor lists for the local election in Nikšić begins on 26 January and will last until 16 February. Some lists are already being formed, reminiscent in their names of the list led by the Prime Minister in the state elections. He addressed the citizens on Twitter, posting that he had nothing to do with them. Mr Miloš Nikolić, DPS’s spokesman and MP, said that direct interference of the church in the elections in this city can be seen in this city.
Changing the narrative about Abazović
It seems to me that the Serbian world is changing its communication strategy towards Mr Abazović. It is as if they realized that excessive praise of nationalists pushes him away from his basic purpose, which is to mislead the civic and sovereign public in Montenegro. Now, even Mr Dodik has attacked him personally.
Recommendations for reading
In an interview with the Voice of America, Ambassador and Professor Vesko Garčević made a good analysis of what should be expected from the new American administration, both globally and in relation to the Balkans.
Mr Filip David gave an interesting interview to Pobjeda.
Mr Nikola Zirojević of the SD warned of requests for amendments to the Law on Citizenship.
And finally, a fantastic quote from Svetislav Basara’s interview with Belgrade’s Novi Magazin: “Compared the Government of Montenegro, which looks like a government from a Latin American soap opera, even Vučić’s government looks like the government of Her Majesty Elizabeth II. These people have no idea what they are doing, except that they want it now, and they want it to be “Serbian”.
We were pretty lengthy today. We wish you a pleasant rest of the day. Until tomorrow.
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