Montenegrin officials are frightened by the development of events on the way to the European Union (EU), which leads to the weakening of their power and the uncertainty of maintaining the economic and political system, the Center for Civic Education (CGO) said.
Commenting on the statements of the highest officials, that Montenegro is a bit fatigued from integration, the program coordinator in the CGE, Ana Vujošević, assessed that there are several levels on which the attitude about fatigue from working on jobs on the way to the EU can be interpreted.
"The first is that the leaders of the ruling coalition (Ranko Krivokapić and Milo Đukanović) are preparing for the possible failure of the integration processes, which would mean a new extension of the call for NATO and the possible activation of the suspension clause in the negotiations with the EU, if measurable results are not achieved in key areas in the following period," Vujošević told the MINA agency.
According to her opinion, the second level is the specific requirements of the European Commission, which for the first time were explicitly found in the European Commission's Progress Report for this year, and refer to Brussels' recommendations on combating illegal enrichment.
"The recommendations are to consider the criminalization of wealth whose origin cannot be proven, as well as the request for concrete results in the field of fighting corruption at a high level, in terms of filing well-founded indictments and passing final judgments," stated Vujošević.
The previous excuses have no foundation
As she pointed out, a large number of overturned judgments in the area of the fight against corruption were apostrophized, which, she believes, raise doubts about the existence of political will to solve this problem.
"All this indicates that the various previous excuses for non-fulfillment of obligations no longer have any basis and that measurable results must be achieved. The question is whether this conflicts with the political interests of the ruling party and whether they are really ready to implement the clear instructions of the European Commission," Vujošević said. .
The third level, she added, is the decision-makers' awareness of the lack of real capacities of Montenegrin institutions to implement the assumed obligations, and at the same time the lack of political will for full professionalization and depoliticization of institutions.
Without these preconditions, she said, it is difficult to expect better results.
Just bringing documents is not enough
Vujošević pointed out that the country is in the phase of the integration process where promises and messages do not mean much.
"The adoption of numerous documents on a daily basis in order to receive praise from the European Union is not enough, but the full application of adopted laws, by-laws, as well as documents from the strategic framework is expected," said Vujošević.
She is of the opinion that this is the moment when reform processes should bring tangible benefits to citizens, in terms of improvements in areas that are important to their daily lives, especially in the area of the rule of law.
"Unfortunately, we are witnessing that there are no noticeable improvements, and that the pressure on the critics of the decision-makers is increasing and reaching worrying proportions. Fatigue at this stage of the process is unacceptable and incomprehensible," said Vujošević.
Officials are aware that the necessary quality of social dialogue does not exist
She believes that Montenegrin officials are frightened by the development of events that lead to the weakening of their power and the uncertainty of maintaining the economic and political system.
"They are aware that the necessary quality of social dialogue does not exist, for which they are predominantly to blame, and that failure to achieve measurable results in the foreseeable future will bring numerous risks that will be difficult to deal with," Vujošević said.
She pointed out that Brussels has a complete insight into the state of the system in Montenegro, a very clear cross-section of undertaken and fulfilled obligations, the state of administrative capacities and financial possibilities.
"It can be concluded that fatigue exists only when it comes to the political will of the ruling structure, and that a significant limitation for the process is the closedness of the ruling structure towards those who analyze the process from a critical but constructive side," said Vujošević.
When asked what moves can be expected now from the Montenegrin state leadership and political leaders, Vujošević replied that the recent past teaches that sudden turns in the politics of the ruling structure, driven primarily by personal interests, are not new.
"Ultimately, even that option should not be ruled out, although it is unlikely. Namely, the seriousness of the reform processes that have started, the high and continuous support for the European Union by the broadest structures of society are a serious brake and obstacle to that intention. But, obstructions by the state peak should be expected and we are witnessing them even now at a certain level", concluded Vujošević.
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