He assesses that this is an attempt to tarnish the uniform, which must be a symbol of safety, security, protection of the state and all its citizens.
“I am horrified by the messages that such videos send, especially bearing in mind the fact that those who wear the uniform of the Army of Montenegro must honorably and proudly represent the country, its independence and civic character. I did not support the restoration of independent Montenegro with my heart or words so that its army and statehood would be shamed today by individuals who glorify the ideologies and policies responsible for the greatest suffering and persecution in these areas,” he said.
As he adds, if someone thinks that by wearing a uniform and glorifying criminal ideologies, they will scare the minority peoples in Montenegro, especially the Bosniaks, then they must know that such messages do not cause them fear.
“They cause additional determination to defend the dignity of the state and the values on which it rests. It is particularly worrying that people whose names are remembered for crimes and monstrous bragging about the number of Bosniaks killed are presented as “life authorities”. That cannot and must not be the face of the Army of Montenegro,” stressed Nurković.
He states that he will demand full and clear responsibility of all the actors of this event, not only for the sake of sanction, but also as a serious warning that no one ever again thinks of playing with such dangerous and deeply disturbing messages.
“The army must remain an institution that belongs to all citizens of Montenegro, regardless of religion, nation or political affiliation, and its uniform must never be misused to promote hatred, historical revisionism or intimidate anyone. In the face of marking 20 years of our only independent Montenegro, such outbursts further strengthen us in the belief that we are not on the wrong path and that we will not falter in protecting the interests of the state of Montenegro, its civic character, but also dignity and security of the Bosniak people and all other minority communities,” he concluded.
