Former workers of the Bar factory "Primorka" have called off the blockade of the main highway in Šušanj, at the exit from Bar, which they had announced for last night, because the head of the Regional Security Center "Jug" Petar Rolović banned that public gathering due to endangering traffic.
Bans on gatherings are rare in Montenegro, and in recent years, main roads have been blocked on several occasions, including during unannounced protests...
On Saturday evening, when the protest was supposed to take place, a "Spicano Evening" was held in Sutomore - a concert Nataše Bekvalac organized by the Municipality of Bar and the Tourist Organization of Bar.
A representative of former Primorka workers confirmed to "Vijesti" that the protest was banned. Edin Begzic and said that this did not happen even during the rule of the Democratic Party of Socialists and Milo Đukanović - that citizens are not allowed to protest.
He points out that they wanted to draw attention and express dissatisfaction because the competent institutions have not done anything regarding their case, which is in the Special State Prosecutor's Office (SDT).
"It is still not clear to us on whose orders this was done, but one thing is certain - thanks to this regime, the previous one, who robbed us, can sleep peacefully," he said, adding that they gave up the protest because they do not want to allow the police to arrest honest people who have worked hard enough, alongside criminals.
He emphasized that one thing is certain: they protested during the Đukanović regime, but they were never forbidden to do so, and the new regime is, apparently, even stronger because it protects Đukanović better than "he did it for himself."
Citizens announced the protest at the Bar Security Center on August 31, for which they submitted a written confirmation to the editorial office, and then announced it publicly on September 3. On the same day, Begzić received a police decision prohibiting the planned public gathering.
Season, crowds, Port of Bar...
Rolović's decision, which "Vijesti" has access to, states that the public gathering, which was reported on August 31st and was planned on the main road Bar - Podgorica, at the exit from Šušanj near the "BB" restaurant, is not allowed from September 5th to 13th, 2026, daily from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM, in a manner that involves blocking the main road.
It also states that the organizer is obliged to immediately inform the public upon receipt of this decision that the public gathering at the registered location, at the registered time and in the registered manner will not take place in the manner in which the public gathering was registered, and that a lawsuit against this decision does not postpone its execution.
The explanation of the decision states that the goal of the gathering was to point out the injustice and unresolved problems of former Primorka workers, with an estimated participation of over 50 former workers and their family members, while the method of holding the gathering was stated to be a peaceful protest by blocking the main highway.
"The police fully respect the right of organizers and participants to express their demands and dissatisfaction through peaceful public gatherings. The subject of the decision is not the content or goal of the protest, but solely the acceptability of the specifically reported location, time, duration and manner of holding the gathering, taking into account the rights of other persons and the safety of persons and property," Rolović stated.
Acting upon the application, as it says, an individualized assessment of the specific circumstances was carried out - the reported location is located on the main Bar - Podgorica road and represents one of the key traffic connections between Bar and the rest of the country.
The gathering was reported at the beginning of September, during the period when the tourist season was still ongoing in the area of Bar and the Montenegrin coast and there was increased intensity of passenger traffic, and the gathering was reported for nine consecutive days, daily, with an explicitly stated method of protest - blocking the main road.
It is particularly appreciated, the decision states, that on the section in question there is no suitable alternative route that could, during the blockade, redirect all passenger and freight traffic without creating serious delays and additional burden on the local road network.
"Therefore, the consequences of the reported blockade would not be limited to the usual and short-term disruptions that citizens should tolerate in order to exercise their right to peaceful assembly, but would directly affect a large number of other road users," said the Bar police commander, adding that the Port of Bar and freight traffic, as well as the transit of goods, were also taken into account.
He explained that the main road in question is used for road transport to and from Bar and the Port of Bar, so a recurring complete blockade could have consequences for the continuity of transport and transit of goods, including goods whose transport requires continuity in time.
Considering that the blockade was reported daily for nine consecutive days, its consequences should be assessed cumulatively, and not only in relation to the individual one-hour traffic interruption, he assessed, adding that the current circumstances of increased fire danger and the need for main roads to remain passable for vehicles of protection and rescue services, emergency medical services, police and other emergency services were also taken into account.
In a situation where there is no suitable alternative route, the commander stated, a complete blockade of the main road may make it difficult or delay the timely action of these services, which poses a concrete risk to the safety of persons and property.
The police wanted to "transfer" the protest
The police decision also states that they consulted with Begzić on September 2 and suggested that the protest be held at another location - the intersection of Vladimir Rolović and Jovana Tomašević streets in the city center, near the Department Store, where the previous protest was held on August 23 of this year.
Begzić rejected this proposal and stuck to the request that the protest be held at the reported location by blocking the main road, and the police also appreciated the fact that the same organizer had previously been allowed to hold a public gathering in the center of Bar and that "the aforementioned circumstance confirms that the aim of this measure is not to prevent the organizers and former workers of 'Primorka' from publicly expressing their views and demands, but rather to protect other legitimate interests from the consequences of this particular location and the manner in which the gathering was held."
Rolović also stated that it is not impossible to organize a peaceful public gathering at another appropriate location, in accordance with the law.
Article 14, paragraph 1 of the Law on Public Gatherings and Public Events stipulates that the police may temporarily restrict the freedom of public assembly if the restriction is necessary in a democratic society, among other things, to prevent violations of the human rights and freedoms of others and for the safety of persons and property.
Paragraph 2 of the same article stipulates that the restriction must be necessary and proportionate to the purpose for which it is being undertaken, while paragraph 3 stipulates that the police, if the stated conditions or circumstances are met, shall issue a decision not allowing the public gathering to be held.
"The police considered the possibility of a milder measure, however, the reported method of protest consists precisely in blocking the main highway, at a location where there is no suitable alternative route. The organizer rejected the offered alternative location, therefore, while maintaining the reported location and method of protest, the goal of protecting the rights of other persons and the safety of persons and property cannot be effectively achieved with a milder measure," Rolović stated.
The case of "Primorka" in the SDT drawer
Former workers of "Primorka" protested again in the center of Bar this August because their case is still "somewhere in a drawer" of the authorities, and therefore they announced the radicalization of the protest if the authorities do not take any action after the protest in the center of Bar.
They announced the canceled protest this Saturday after, as they stated, they did not receive any feedback from the authorities about resolving their problems following the protest in the city center on August 18th.
In 2024, workers of the former “Primorka” filed a criminal complaint with the SDT against those who participated in the privatization of the company, whom they called a criminal group. They filed a complaint against the then Minister of Finance Igor Lukšić and the then Prime Minister Milo Đukanović, whom they characterized "as leaders of an organized crime group (OKG)".
They filed a criminal complaint for, as they stated, organizing a criminal group or participating in it for the purpose of obtaining unlawful material gain, abuse of official position for an extended period of time, abuse in business operations, violation of the constitutional rights of workers and their families, and "many other criminal offenses that the prosecution will establish through its work based on the investigation and submitted evidence."
A complaint was also filed against Ivica Stanković, Milivoj Katnić, Mire Samardzic, Ivan Medojević, Dragan Rakočević, Ivan Kovačević, Veljko Rakočević, Žarko Ostojić, Predrag Stamatović, Aleksandar Damjanović, Dritan Abazović and 15 other people from the then state administration, including officials from the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Commercial Court, the Prosecutor's Office...
The criminal charges also included all members of the 37th and 38th governments headed by Đukanović. Some of them included the then Minister of Economic Development. Branimir Gvozdenović, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management Milutin Simovic and the rest of the 37th term of the Government of Montenegro.
Among the entire 38th Government are its former Deputy Prime Minister Svetozar Marovic, vice president Vujica Lazović, Minister of Foreign Affairs Milan Rocen and everyone else, including Ivan Brajović, Branimir Gvozdenović, Slavoljub Stijepović...
Others can even if they don't report it
During 2025 and the first eight months of this year, roads across Montenegro have repeatedly been the site of protests and blockades, from student demonstrations and civic gatherings to protests by locals and transport operators.
In February 2025, students and citizens gathered around the group "Kamo Śutra" blocked traffic in Podgorica, Cetinje, Nikšić, Bar, Kotor, Herceg Novi and Budva, and the Police Directorate announced at the time that the blockades were unreported.
In Cetinje, citizens began blocking the main road at Kruševo Ždrijel on February 5, demanding responsibility for the tragedy there.
These blockades lasted for months, lasting three hours a day, and the police later announced that none of these protests had been reported.
In Šavnik, the opposition has been blocking the main road towards Žabljak since the end of February, and the police stated that the rally was reported a total of nine times at different times.
There were blockades in Zeta and Podgorica, where residents of Botun, dissatisfied with plans to build a collector, blocked roads in Botun and on approaches to Podgorica, as well as the Podgorica-Bar railway. In January, the police marked these gatherings as unregistered and announced the prosecution of 18 people.
That same winter, residents of the Zagorič Forest Park also protested, blocking the roundabout on Zlatica, after which the police approved a gathering at an alternative location in front of the Assembly.
A special series of blockades was organized by transport operators: from January 26 to 29, freight traffic was blocked in several locations, and this was a registered protest.
In April, transport operators blocked traffic again, this time at eight approved locations in six municipalities, from April 14 to 17. After the approved deadline expired, attempts to continue the blockades in Rožaje, Bijelo Polje, and Tuzi were marked by the police as unreported and illegal.
Protested, but without blocking the road
Former workers protested in the Bar settlement of Šušanj yesterday, but they did not block the road.
They announced that starting Monday they will gather daily in front of the Bar Municipality, from 13 to 14 p.m.
Dragan Rondović said that in the coming days he will address all parliamentary groups in the Parliament, and that he will take the protest to the Government, if Prime Minister Milojko Spajić does not respond soon to their request for admission, which they sent in mid-August.
He pointed out that nothing has been done in their case for 28 years, but that this will not stop them from continuing their gatherings every day.
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