The question arises as to how certain politicians like Milan Knežević and Vladislav Bojović were until recently part of the 44th Government, if it is at least declaratively leading Montenegro towards the European Union – said the vice-president of DPS and member of the Parliament Ivan Vuković at Television E.
According to him, DNP MPs Knežević and Bojović have been saying for years that the referendum was stolen, that Montenegro is a so-called state, and that, as he pointed out, followers of the Ustasha ideology are in power in neighboring Croatia. He adds that such a narrative is nothing new.
“Until January of this year, the DNP was an integral part of the 44th Government, for a full year and a half. And, let’s not forget, no one kicked Knežević and his ministers out of the Government, but they themselves left that Government. Milan Knežević, Bojović and others like them would still be part of the executive branch today if they wanted to, so the real question is what did these great Europeans from the PES and others who are still sitting in To the Government”, states Vuković.
When it comes to the Vice-President of the Assembly Nikolla Camaj, who did not react, Vuković says that he probably did not want to hold a grudge against his colleague Andrija Mandić, the President of the Assembly.
“Let’s not forget that Mandić and Knežević are officially in a coalition, the coalition for the future of Montenegro still exists at the state level, besides, Milan Knežević is currently in power with Mandić, Spajić and Bečić in Nikšić and in a larger number of Montenegrin municipalities. I only hope that people in Montenegro properly understand this political dynamic,” notes Vuković.
The verdict by which the former president of the RTCG Council Veselin Drljević and members Filip Lazović, Naod Zorić and Emina Murić were convicted of abuse of office during the re-election of Boris Raonic as director of the Public Service in 2023 became final.
According to Vuković, the members of the Administrative Board were forced to make a concrete move, even though just fifteen days ago, regardless of the first-instance verdict of the Basic Court from 2025 in which Drljević and the others were sentenced to seven months probation for abuse of official position, they proposed the same Drljević as a candidate for the RTCG Council.
“This is so unpleasant for the ruling majority that they will probably have to do something, and now it remains to be seen how they will get rid of it, because their desire to preserve political influence over the Public Service is evident. The Public Service has recently been acting as the public relations bureau of the Government of Montenegro. You can see that it is divided between PES, the New Serbian Democracy and the Democrats, and their plan is to keep it that way in the run-up to the elections. What is good for Montenegro and some democratic processes is that this can be seen from Brussels, from Strasbourg”, says Vuković.
He reminds that seven days ago the European Parliament adopted a report in which it is stated that there is “continuous political influence on the Public Service” in Montenegro.
“So we on the side of the parliamentary opposition will do our best to change that, and it is no coincidence that this topic is part of the platform we offered to the ruling parties in order to overcome the crisis we are currently in,” said Vuković.
The administrative committee determined the list of jury members for the awarding of the Thirteenth of July Award, and the opposition did not participate in it, which, according to Vuković, is the same pattern that is repeated in all cases, because the ruling coalition operates according to the principle of trade, and because of this, he emphasizes, there is no reconstruction of the Government.
He believes that there are people in the jury to be respected, but that the jury still reflects the political constellation of the government and that everyone had their own candidate.
“My assumption is that laureates will be selected in such a way, as last year when we had two winners of the highest state award who were in the background of the ideas of Great Serbian nationalism in Montenegro, and Miloš Karadaglić, who was supposed to mask it, fortunately he saw through the intention of the people who were behind it and distanced himself, so that my expectation is not only that the jury will work in the existing composition in accordance with the political will of those in power, but that the future winners will also be their favourites”, stressed Vuković.
Regarding the controversial security laws adopted a few months before the Montenegrin parliament will adopt the GDPR, Vuković says that it was known that they would be changed, but that they rushed to make certain “purges” in the security sector.
He also adds that the platform offered by the opposition contains everything that is also in the opinion of the European Parliament, which was supported by the majority of European parliamentarians.
“This is what we warned the domestic and international public about, and that’s why we took certain political steps. From the moment this platform was presented, the ball is in the court of the ruling coalition and we still, almost a month has passed, do not have any concrete answer. During our recent stay in Brussels, we also received assurances from Ambassador Satler that a new round of negotiations will take place soon, because the EU is mediating in these processes, and that a compromise solution could be reached ahead of constitutional reforms, which are very important moment in the process of European integration”, said Vuković.
He points out that the Brussels administration is fully aware of the situation in Montenegro, which, he claims, is also a result of the diplomatic activities of the DPS.
He reminds that in the last year they visited Brussels, Strasbourg and European institutions, and explained what is happening in Montenegro.
“I think it has been widely accepted, and the report of the European Parliament is not a coincidence either. The problem is that the EU needs concrete success in enlargement, and that is Montenegro, and that is why the authorities looked through their fingers. We made it clear to them that this is not possible. We will not enter into political arrangements with the constituents of the government, with some individuals, not even in the tram, let alone in the government. We are preparing for elections and our plan is to replace this government and for Montenegro to get a truly pro-European Government which will complete European integration and make the country the 28th member of the EU”, concluded Vuković.
