Regardless of many social deviations, modern Montenegro has preserved its anti-fascist foundation, but there is no quality promotion of anti-fascism, nor a clear state policy that systematically strengthens it.
This was assessed by the interlocutors of "Vijesti", on the occasion of the celebration of May 9, the Day of Victory over Fascism and the Day of Europe.
The day symbolizes the end of the Second World War in Europe in 1945 and the beginning of the creation of the European Union five years later...
Miloš Vukanović, a historian and advisor at the Center for Civic Education (CGO), assessed that anti-fascism is an integral part of the value framework of Montenegrin society, despite the different approaches of certain social actors.
"For example, anti-fascism has become a political trend for the ruling structure, and on the other side we have those who try to strengthen the pillars of nationalist tendencies with unscientific revisions of anti-fascism".
The General Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Ivan Vujović, pointed out that, regardless of the many deviations that exist in society, "perhaps the most of all the former Yugoslav republics, Montenegro has preserved that anti-fascist foundation".
"One of the better policies of this Montenegro is multi-ethnic and multi-religious harmony, which is sometimes promoted on a demagogic level, but, especially when you compare it with some other parts of the former Yugoslavia, the situation in this sense seems positively different".
He assessed that all of this has to do with the specific elements of Montenegro's heritage of the 19th century, because there is no revaluation or falsification of the anti-fascist past from the period of the Second World War.
"On the other hand... we have on the scene attempts to falsify the much closer history of the 90s of the last century and somehow erase with an eraser the period of service of this government to those who, on the wave of nationalism and persecution of anti-fascism, came to power in 1989. "All this can create confusion in people's minds, and it is clear that a society can only move forward if it truly faces all its mistakes, whatever they were and whatever tragedy they produced," Vujović said.
He pointed out that the best example is Germany and the denazification process that was thoroughly implemented there after the Second World War.
"We live in a time when it is possible to engage in the revaluation of some fundamental values and civilizational achievements, so anti-fascism is often on the back burner. Historical revisionism and rehabilitation of backward ideologies and movements has long become a regional trend. On that idea of demolishing all the values of the previous system, including anti-fascism as the foundation of coexistence and equality, destruction and wars in the nineties could have happened to us. For some, it is clearly not enough, they would continue with the destruction and it is particularly bad that these ideas are offered to us as a political alternative," said Vujović.
Marija Blagojević, member of the Presidency of the Social Democrats (SD), pointed out that anti-fascism is the foundation of modern, civil, multi-ethnic and secular Montenegro.
"He represents a value that we should be proud of and whose legacy we should inherit. So in that sense, we can say that for the most part, Montenegro is anti-fascist".
Blagojevic assessed that those who do not inherit the values of our ancestors "who gave their lives so that we could be free today" are in a convincing minority.
"Primo Levi wrote that every era has its own fascism. The fact is that its manifestations, subtle or less subtle, unfortunately live in today's Montenegro. In an era when it is very easy to transmit, but also to distort, information, it is essential that the values of freedom, solidarity and equality are transmitted to new generations. To remind themselves of the legacy of anti-fascism and those who died for our freedom and future. I believe that enough work is done in Montenegro to promote anti-fascism, which does not mean that we could not do it to a greater extent".
The Socialist People's Party (SNP) states that the libertarian people of Montenegro showed with the famous Thirteenth of July uprising what they think about fascism, but also about the creation that was created on July 12, under the patronage of then fascist Italy.
"No one and nothing managed to erase those heroic pages of our history, and that is something that the citizens of Montenegro have been proud of for decades."
The party claims that the current government has made a mockery of the ideas of anti-fascism by destroying its basic values, such as equality, equality, brotherhood and unity.
"In addition, of the former symbols of the government that truly inherited anti-fascism, today there are only remnants. The neoliberal concept of economy embraced by DPS led to the destruction and sale of factories that fed Montenegro and left thousands of workers on the streets. To this day, they unsuccessfully seek their rights, reminding of the times when they were respected and respected members of society".
That party emphasizes that "where there is not even approximate economic equality, there cannot be any other equality."
Insufficient promotion of anti-fascism
The promotion of anti-fascism in Montenegro, as pointed out by the SNP, is reduced to the marking of certain significant dates related to the People's Liberation Struggle and appropriate speeches, stating that this is not enough.
Historian Miloš Vukanović assessed that there is not enough quality promotion of anti-fascism in Montenegro, nor a clear state policy that systematically strengthens it.
"Movable and immovable cultural assets from this period were neglected and exposed to the ravages of time for almost two decades. Although they were not destroyed as in the region, some of them did fail due to carelessness. Efforts to preserve this heritage, which were made after 2006, improved the picture to some extent, but this is limited because they were not adequately integrated into the education system nor did they become part of the tourist offer".
Vukanović points out that the education system is of key importance here:
"No matter how well the lessons in the textbooks are covered, as long as the controversial aspects of this struggle are not taught, as long as there is no teaching at places of memory, as long as there is no cooperation with museums and as long as there is no teaching on the local anti-fascist heritage, there will always be the possibility that unscientific interpretations of a family or someone part of the community come to the fore in shaping citizens' awareness of anti-fascism".
NOB monuments preserved, but citizens know little
Answering the question about the situation in Montenegro when it comes to anti-fascism and respect for the achievements of the NOB and the revolution, Vukanović said that almost all 600 monuments, memorial plaques and busts of the NOB in Montenegro have been preserved. According to him, the NOB is still taught in schools, although not as before, and streets, squares, kindergartens and schools in Montenegrin cities still bear the names of partisan heroes.
"Nevertheless, our research indicates that today's citizens know little about the anti-fascist legacy and significance. The reasons for this are complex. One of them is the fact that the anti-fascist heritage has become dissonant, which causes certain controversies and different feelings among some citizens".
He assessed that political and non-scientific revisionist tendencies from the environment did not bypass Montenegro, although they never had a strong local foundation.
"Those tendencies position any socialist legacy, even anti-fascism, as something negative. Unscientific revisionism tends to discredit the anti-fascist struggle and socialism without any scientifically based criticism and contextualization, and with the moral sterilization of the crimes of the nationalist movements they support".
Vukanović states that "the lack of scientific assessment of specific crimes committed by NOB members, during and after the war, also helps them in this."
"As well as the pronounced representation of family narratives that do not separate personal family experiences from general social movements and are also devoid of any criticism. All this led to the assessment by some citizens that the period of the anti-fascist struggle was controversial".
Marija Blagojević assessed that Montenegro in general, and especially compared to most countries in the region, inherits anti-fascism and preserves the memory of the achievements and legacy of the NOB.
"But as important as it is to teach history to generations, it is so important not to stand for anti-fascism only declaratively, but to truly live its values and create a society in which this is possible".
She assessed that, therefore, the trends of retrograde processes in which the rights of women, the LGBT community, and some other marginalized groups are called into question, as well as the rise of nationalism and populism, are warning signs.
"These trends are contrary to the essential values of anti-fascism. That is why today, more than ever, we must protect the rights and freedoms of all citizens and not allow what our ancestors died for to collapse in the 21st century".
SNP: The government is 'faking' the true ideas of anti-fascism
Vukanović assessed that the political identity of Montenegro was dominantly shaped by anti-fascism because that political concept represented a kind of upgrade of tolerance on which the Principality/Kingdom of Montenegro was based.
He stated that the fundamental principles of the traditional Montenegrin society, which put the interest of the community and respect for human qualities before separate national and religious determinants, were aligned with anti-fascist principles.
"So, anti-fascism is not in collision with the main narratives of Montenegrin history and identity, and even today it represents the primary protection of civil society as a guarantor of the stability of our country."
Marija Blagojević assessed that it can be said without reservation that the political identity of Montenegro is largely based on anti-fascism.
"Unfortunately, there are individuals and groups who show the opposite with their views, but they are rare, but, as I have already stated, they are in a convincing minority."
In the SNP, however, they assess that the political identity of the current government of Montenegro, "which it wants to present as anti-fascist, is actually a faking of the true ideas of anti-fascism, which is reflected in the installation of Tito's monument, but also in running away from the fundamental values that his SFRY inherited and which older fellow citizens still fondly remember today".
"Today's government considers anyone who thinks differently as an enemy, deals harshly with representatives of the Church and with journalists and does not want any compromise with political competition even in the most important issues".
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