Kalač: If I become president, I will ask for the formation of a transitional government

Presidential candidate Hazbija Kalač said that if he is elected head of state, he will call for the formation of a government of national unity. In an interview with "Vijesti", he said that the current president of the country put his office in the shadow of all social and political processes in Montenegro.

"Among the first steps will certainly be to determine the cause of the mass emigration of residents from the northern state, and to alert all state institutions to stop this process immediately. I will do my best to initiate and support the process of amending the electoral legislation with the authority of the president of the state. I will offer to form a government of national unity and if not if there is a sensibility for things to move forward, I will use all the powers that would lead to that", said the president of the Party of Justice and Reconciliation.

• Why did you run for president when your party did not secure parliamentary status in the 2016 elections? Do you think that you are wasting opposition votes?

The past parliamentary elections, when it comes to our politics, will be remembered for two things. The first is our attempt to reach an agreement on a joint performance with part of the opposition until the last moment. In this sense, we had serious negotiations with several political representatives of the opposition. At the end of the realignment, we tried to reach a final agreement with Demos and the parties gathered around him, but it still didn't happen, which led us to a fait accompli and a belated situation. We had a short deadline to present the campaign independently. Another thing is a very aggressive campaign where there was political corruption and almost public buying of votes by a large number of political parties. We did not agree to that kind of political activity and chose the more difficult but more honorable way to reach the parliamentary platform. As for the wastage of votes, I believe that polarization between the two served blocs in Montenegro should not be allowed. This is a shame for parliamentarism and political life in Montenegro. The solution for the so-called the scatter is the second round of the election, where the two most supported candidates from the first round will face off.

• Do you expect that your presidential candidacy will strengthen the status of the party? Especially considering that local elections are scheduled for May in several municipalities.

Considering the fact that immediately after the presidential elections, local elections are held in most municipalities in Montenegro, and considering that we, as a small party, are insufficiently represented in the media to the Montenegrin public, the presidential elections are a chance for the public to get to know us a little better. I hope that this will have a positive impact on the results of the local elections in the municipalities where we will go to the polls.

I will not make excuses for being close to Zukorlić

• How do you comment on the allegations of connection with the president of the Justice and Reconciliation Party and former mufti Muamer Zukorlić?

This question can only be answered in the context of the fact that Zukorlić and I come from the same cultural, religious and national milieu, from the Sandžak region, which has historical continuity. Geographically, this region is focused primarily on itself, where we have a northern and a southern part, through the middle of which passed the hard administrative border that is a reality today. The border passed through a nation, the border passed through a property, the border passed through a being. Despite this, we have shown our willingness to accept reality, invest a part of ourselves and build the sovereignty of the internationally recognized states of Montenegro and Serbia. In addition to the pre-referendum agreement, which was and should be a confirmation and guarantee that the specificity of that area will be respected, today we have the reading and groundless placing of this situation in the context of external interference in the internal affairs of Montenegro, which is absolutely wrong and unacceptable for us. Bosniaks who are victims of the absolute neglect of Sandžak.

• Are you Zukorlić's political representative in Montenegro?

In Montenegro, I am a political representative of my people and every citizen who strives for justice and coexistence. I have good relations with Zukorlić, who is part of my people and whose origin is from Gusinje, and I highly appreciate his spiritual, intellectual and social dominance. This quality was also recognized by the top government of Serbia, which also has visibly good relations with the current authorities in Montenegro. In this sense, do not expect me to justify my political course, which is part of a wider context and a healthy conciliatory idea that has a strong basis to be part of not only regional, but also part of European politics.