Follow the live online conference on "How to get a civic alternative?" on the Vijesti portal.
The leader of the URA Civic Movement, Dritan Abazović, announced that Montenegro currently needs to channel a strong civil alternative and a new design of the functioning of institutions. "People from the current government should not be in those institutions, if they knew and knew how, they would have done something by now," Abazović said.
"The term citizen still causes numerous polemics in our sense, in the political sense this term explains the further direction in which we should trace the development of Montenegro. Whenever we take away any right from someone, violate the constitution, then we destroy the civil model of society. Civil means also against everyone forms of discrimination. DPS is not a civil party, it is a party that has been actively preventing citizens from having an anti-discriminatory position for 30 years," said Abazović and added, "The torch of freedom must be lit."
As he points out, Montenegro has reached the point where it needs every person who can produce transformation.
"We don't need Vučić instead of Đukanović, SNS instead of DPS, but we need a new, better, fairer and more democratic concept. We don't need a strong leader, but strong institutions," added Abazović.
The leader of the GP URA pointed out that today in Montenegro there are no conditions for holding fair elections.
"The conditions are worse than they were in 2016. Our goal is not to create electoral legislation that will defeat the DPS, but electoral legislation that will prevent the elections from being stolen. Whoever wins in such a system - good luck to them", he announced.
Abazović adds: "If you have youth who are ready to wave the national flag for twenty euros, I'm afraid that they will wave another for thirty euros."
"I do not accept the thesis that there are no people in this country who would lead it to a European success story. I am in favor of open lists and if there are elections, URA will open its list to citizens, citizens are welcome here. We are fighting for civil, European and ecological Montenegro," concluded Abazović.
Sead Sadiković pointed out: "I believe that there is a civic alternative that has already defeated DPS five times, but it obviously cannot preserve the victory", and asked the leader of the URA GP: "Why don't we have a Coalition for the 21st century today?"
"The fact that we are no longer in the coalition does not mean that we are enemies or that there is no room for cooperation with the Democrats. However, we cannot compromise on everything. In the coming days, we will present a new concept, where there will be room for Mr. Bečić and for the other gentlemen from the opposition. What I am not in favor of is having declarative statements, after which their content and agreements will fall after two days," said Dritan Abazović.
He adds, "Djukanovic is a weak leader, many leaders who have built a system of control in the world like Djukanovic, have support in the amount of about 70 percent."
Marić: The civil alternative always exists
Boris Marić, an NGO activist, points out that he is committed to the idea of a boycott if it makes sense, if it is unique and has a clear goal. "DPS is an interest group, not a civic party," he added.
"The civil alternative always exists, the only question is how fragmented it is and to what degree it can be homogenized," said Marić.
As Stefan Đukić, professor of philosophy, said, the civil struggle should be accessible to everyone, and not conducted in closed circles.
"We need better education, education that is not seminary," Đukić points out.
Director Srđan Dido Stanojević said that a citizen is not a measure of education, status, or wealth. "A citizen is a measure of education," he notes.
"I think that the DPS is a communist party, but it is not a problem that it is the only one like that, there are other communist parties in Montenegro. Moreover, the three strongest parties are communist and they are ruled by one mind," said Stanojević.
Maja Kostić-Mandić, a professor at the Faculty of Law, said that there are no minimum conditions for fair and honest elections, and there is no willingness of the authorities to change anything.
"The most acceptable at this moment would be a boycott, if there is no postponement of the elections, but we already have the announcement of some opposition political entities to go to the elections, which is legitimate and clearly determines the situation. At this moment, networking of individuals is needed," said Kostić Mandić.
She believes that there is a civic alternative in Montenegro, but notes that a distinction should be made between a civically active individual and a politically active individual.
"Such a civil alternative, which is quiet, can play an important role in the election process, by not sitting at home, but going out and voting," notes Kostić Mandić.
Mara Šćepanović, a professor at the University of Montenegro, said that we should understand that our nationality is not a priority, but that we should ask ourselves about the existential questions that determine our lives.
"We expect the state to subordinate the institutions to our needs. As long as we want to achieve results in the elections against the backdrop of identity politics, there will always be winners and others losers," Šćepanović said.
Journalist Sead Sadiković asked the question: "Tell me if DPS is a civil party?"
Journalist Milka Tadić Mijović pointed out that democracy is facing great trials at the global level these days, recalling the current crisis in the United States of America.
"We are always connected to what is happening outside, even though we seem to be an isolated island," she noted.
As she added, it is important to be aware that all options are open. "Boycotting the elections, postponing the elections, maintaining fair and honest relations with all participants... Difficult times await us, it is necessary to gather all civil forces," said Tadić Mijović.
"An alternative always exists, but it is not sufficiently articulated, it should be presented more to the public and deal with essential problems in society. It seems to me that it is important to articulate the goals and messages that are sent to the citizens," she said.
"The citizen is the representative and the only concept"
Dr. Srđa Pavićević, cardiac surgeon, points out that the question of how to reach a civic alternative is a question that the Citizens' Association CIVIS has gathered around.
"We have introduced seasonal traitors, and the manipulation measure of the ruling party has reached the level of skill. In this country, all nations have been traitors, only the DPS has never been a traitor. I do not meet satisfied people in Montenegro, I do not know where satisfied people are found in Montenegro." , he said.
As Pavićević adds, "normality is seen here as a rarity."
"There are people in Montenegro who know and have something to say, but that strength should be organized and offered to the citizens. That strength must be a buffer zone between the two extremes because we cannot do one without the other," he noted.
As Pavićević points out, a citizen is a representative, a term and a concept of how and where Montenegro should go.
"There is only that alternative left, and it is no longer a matter of choice, but of imperative," he concludes.
Montenegrin society faces two choices
Montenegro is at a crossroads. Before our society there are two choices - either we will sink into a dysfunctional party state where crime and corruption will flourish, which are a good basis for various kinds of nationalism, or we will finally step into a better society by exploiting all our comparative advantages.
Montenegro has all the prerequisites to be a successful European country with a high standard of living.
After the health crisis, it is evident that an economic crisis awaits us.
That is why it is important to unite all progressive forces that will give a chance to professional, honest and competent people. Knowledge and ability must come before party eligibility.
Sad topics from the past should be replaced by bright topics from the future. The problems that plague our civil and life topics on a daily basis must be in focus. Cren Gora's civic, ecological and pro-European ideas should be the foundation of the future.
Is the time ripe in Montenegro to create a professional, credible and pro-European alternative?
Has the coronavirus shown that it is time for the profession to ask questions and make decisions?
What are the consequences of the coronavirus on the economy of Montenegro?
What kind of Montenegro do we want in the future?
These are just some of the questions that will be discussed at the online conference, which you can follow live today on Portal Vijesti from 12 noon.
The theme of the conference is: How to get a civil alternative?
The conference is organized by the Civic Movement URA, Citizens' Union CIVIS and independent intellectuals.
Participants:
Milka Tadić-Mijović, president of the CIN of Montenegro
Prof. Dr. Maja Kostić-Mandić, professor at the University of Montenegro
Prof. Dr. Mara Šćepanović, professor at the University of Montenegro
Sead Sadiković, journalist
Dr. Dritan Abazović, deputy and president of GP URA
Dr. Srđan Pavićević, distinguished Montenegrin cardiologist and president of the Citizens' Association CIVIS
Boris Marić, executive director of NGO CEGAS
Stefan Đukić, professor of philosophy and civic activist
Aleksandar Perović, environmental activist and director of NGO OZON
Srđan Dido Stanojević, director
Moderator: Aleksandar Mudreš
