The President of Montenegro, Milo Đukanović, announced that he will sign the set of laws that the parliament re-voted on Wednesday, stating that the Constitution obliges him to do so.
In an interview with the MINA agency, Djukanovic said that he would not sign proposals for the recall of seven ambassadors because, as he said, that would mean that he participates in slandering those people.
He said that he does not expect that the current ruling majority can be a serious support for the Government during the four-year period, and that he believes that Montenegro will face the need for early parliamentary elections.
Đukanović, when asked if this time he will sign the laws that the Assembly re-voted on Wednesday, said that he would because, as he explained, he is obliged to do so by the Constitution of Montenegro, which clearly stipulates that the president is obliged to sign the re-voted laws laws in parliament.
"The Constitution is unambiguous, it leaves no room for different interpretations, nor for different behavior of the President of the State, if he wants to adhere to the Constitution," said Đukanović.
He said that, from his overall activity on the political scene of Montenegro, it is clear that he is firmly determined to respect the Constitution of his country and to contribute to the functioning of the constitutional-legal system and institutions.
"There is no doubt that I will respect the Constitution this time as well, and that I will not join the widespread front of those who are working hard against the constitutional and legal system of our country." "I will sign the laws that the parliament voted again," Đukanović said.
In this way, as he said, conditions will be created to continue the procedure that will logically lead to the Constitutional Court, "which is the only one called to arbitrate whether these laws were passed and whether their content is in accordance with the highest legal act." our country".
Asked whether he received an explanation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the recall of seven ambassadors, which he also did not sign, Đukanović said that the decision on the recall is made by the president, in accordance with Article 95 of the Constitution, which stipulates that the president has the authority to appoint and recall ambassadors.
He said that the Law on Foreign Affairs, in article seven, obliges the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MVP) to inform the president of the country about important foreign policy issues.
Đukanović stated that the recall of seven ambassadors is an important issue, and that he learned from the media that these are people who are allegedly working against the interests of the state.
"My agreement to sign such a decree, with such a public explanation, regardless of the fact that it is not contained in the text of the proposal of the Government's decision, means that I am participating in the vilification of people." That's not my manner," Djukanovic said.
He said that he will not sign the impeachment decrees, which, as he stated, smear people without grounds, and added that it has nothing to do with party affiliation.
"Half of these people who are being recalled were never members of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), but some of them, more or less, performed very important jobs in our society." I know them personally and none of them would ever do anything to the detriment of the state," said Đukanović.
He added that he repeated all the reasons why he did not sign the proposal to recall the ambassador at political consultations with Krivokapić, Speaker of the Assembly Aleks Bečić and Deputy Prime Minister Dritan Abazović.
"I will not sign any decree on the appointment of a new ambassador, if among the proposals there are people who have ever uttered a single word against Montenegro or who have worked against Montenegro," Đukanović said.
According to him, there are many such people on the political scene today.
"And I am sure that, especially due to the dissatisfaction of some of them with the division of rights within the government, I would say that they are waiting in ambush for a proposal for their ambassadorial appointment," added Đukanović.
He said that he understands perfectly well that the new parliamentary majority needs changes in the field of foreign policy as well, and that this would not be an exception to the behavior of the authorities in other countries.
"When a new policy comes to power, it is logical that it wants to have authentic interpreters of its policy in those places. I understand all that, but that does not mean that, seeking that right for the new government, we vindictively attack people who until now have performed the duties of ambassadors honorably, responsibly and professionally," stated Đukanović.
He said that his decision was not of a formal nature "as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced rather unknown".
"The competence of the president of the state in this area is not of a declarative nature, but of a constitutive nature." Therefore, I do not sign formal decrees, but I pass decrees," said Đukanović.
He added that the passed decrees are an expression of his will, because he is responsible for the decision in that area.
"That, of course, does not mean that it is a reason for confrontation." No, it's just a reminder that whoever has the initiative must be constructive," said Đukanović.
He said that at the meeting with Krivokapić, Bečić and Abazović, he announced that he saw the path of successful cohabitation, and that he was at the head of politics and the movement that created the state.
"Accordingly, it does not occur to me to obstruct this state and its functionality." I don't want that at all. On my part, I will absolutely do everything to ensure that the new parliamentary opposition is, as it has been, a very responsible and constructive actor in state policy, as it has been so far," said Đukanović.
He reminded that from the first day he claimed that cohabitation is not an insurmountable problem for Montenegro.
"If we managed to successfully master all the previous lessons, I don't see why we wouldn't successfully respond to cohabitation." It is only necessary to get used to the new reality", believes Đukanović.
He said that everything he is doing, including bringing back the bill, is a reminder that no one has the right to euphoria.
Đukanović said that he understood "the joy of the new government that won after 30 years of waiting", but, as he pointed out, the joy must not be so euphoric that it tramples on the Constitution.
"We won the referendum in 2006. The first message on the night of the referendum was - there are no winners and losers, this is our country. We should all work for her well-being," said Đukanović.
He assessed that cohabitation will be another new successful democratic experience of Montenegro "which, as long as it lasts, will emerge from this period even more democratically mature and with an even higher level of democratic culture".
Speaking about the fact that he did not sign the proposed decision for the dismissal of the Chief of General Staff, Đukanović said that no one was appointed or dismissed to that position outside the session of the Defense and Security Council.
This, as he said, is such an important issue that it implies that the members of the Council must find a free time and discuss the initiative that always belongs to the minister, in this case the minister of defense.
Đukanović said that the initiative that came to him excluded the holding of a Council session and implied "something that is used as a mechanism between sessions, but never for the issue of this case".
According to him, there was not enough time for agreement on such an important issue at the Council session that he initiated.
"We have agreed to hold a new session in the short term, and my expectation is that it will happen during the next week. In the meantime, space has been left for consultations between the Minister of Defense and the President of the State on this important issue," said Đukanović.
Speaking about the situation in the judiciary, Đukanović assessed that it is the result of unreasonably rigid constitutional conditions for the election of leading people in the judiciary.
"Those rigid solutions could perhaps be appropriate for a society with a lower level of social divisions or less deep historical divisions that modern Montenegro inherited. "Obviously, this is now proving to be a problem," Đukanović believes.
He assessed that ways must be sought in the parliament to reach at least a three-thirds majority that will ensure the election of people to the top positions in the judiciary, if Montenegro is to continue to preserve the image of a functional state.
Đukanović said that he also discussed this with Krivokapić, Bečić and Abazović.
"We desperately need a functional third branch of government, the judicial branch, by which in a broader interpretation I mean the state prosecutor in full capacity and the president of the Supreme Court, and therefore the Judicial Council," said Đukanović.
He said that the Government, which should have the support of 41 MPs, receives the harshest criticism and ultimatums from the coalition, which has two-thirds of the ruling majority, ie 27 MPs.
"It is the Democratic Front (DF) which is completely unconcealed, I would even say proudly, acting on behalf of the interests of another country. Those countries that openly want to cancel the Montenegrin state, national and cultural identity", specified Đukanović.
He recalled that the day after the election, the ruling majority signed an agreement announcing that they would respect the strategic state-political course that should lead Montenegro to the European Union (EU), while at the same time assuming obligations to respect NATO membership.
"Those two dimensions can hardly survive in one government. I think that the picture here must be clarified, that very soon the Government will have to decide whether it will follow the course of primitive nationalism dictated by the DF, or what it signed and go further along the path of Europeanization of Montenegro", Đukanović assessed.
He believes that from those decisions it will be clear on which platform three-fifths will be sought for the election of the state prosecutor, the president of the Supreme Court and judges of the Constitutional Court, and whether the Government will decide to try to find support for the three-fifths majority on the nationalist, or on European platform.
Đukanović said that he is sure that it will be reached. "Perhaps we will have to reach it through elections, maybe we will be able to reach it without elections, with some sober discussion about how and who wants to contribute to the further Europeanization of Montenegro, but I have no doubts that the worst possible scenario would be further loss of state functionality".
Commenting on the accusations that the judiciary is under the influence of DPS, that is, he personally, Đukanović said that the new government is trying to create an atmosphere in advance in which, eventually, a negative decision of the Constitutional Court will be marked as a decision under pressure.
He said that he was not only dissatisfied with many decisions of both the prosecution and the judiciary, but was truly surprised, but that it never happened that he talked about those decisions by phone, by the way, or in a live conversation with the holders of judicial power in Montenegro.
"These are free people with integrity, some of them are no longer in those positions, they have the absolute possibility to deny me." "They won't do it because it didn't exist," Đukanović pointed out.
He said that the past four and a half months were a time of self-examination for DPS, and that from the first day they did not engage in polemics with the will of the citizens or what helped the new parliamentary majority to be the winner in the last elections.
"We have always discussed these issues with our international interlocutors, pointing out to them that Montenegro has been faced with a very sophisticated model of hybrid war for years, which, where it was designed, was not designed for Montenegro," said Đukanović.
He said that this model was designed to destroy Europe and the European system of values, and that due to circumstances, on August 30, Montenegro found itself in the line of fire.
"Every European country will be on the same line when it comes time for elections." We talked about that when we talked about others. But I would say that 90 percent of the time we used to deal with ourselves. "Like any responsible party, we have scheduled a congress," said Đukanović.
He assessed that the DPS congress, which will be held on Sunday, will be "just one milestone" in the history of that party, which will help them move forward through the realization of a very clear, consistent and realistic vision.
"And this election result of August 30 did not question our vision in any way." That vision is very long-term, and it turned out to be very acceptable and realistic," Đukanović believes.
He assessed that the Congress will be an opportunity to announce a new stage in the political life of the DPS with the changes they want to undertake, which, as he stated, will not encroach much on the program's commitments.
"There will be slightly more than 60 percent of new people in the Main Board of the party." The characteristic of our party is openness, the ability to attract young, successful, ambitious people", said Đukanović.
He said that about 60 people agreed to be in circulation for the election of four vice presidents.
"Unfortunately, I cannot tell you anything more than that, not because of secrecy, there is no reason for any secrecy, but we are still in the phase of discussions on those topics," said Đukanović.
When asked whether he remains at the head of the DPS, Đukanović replied that it was part of the conversation.
"As always, we will discuss this seriously. This is the last time that DPS elects the president in such a way. In the Statute, which I believe we will adopt at the congress, it is foreseen that in two years at the latest, we will have a direct election of the party president", said Đukanović.
He said that on the eve of the elections in Nikšić, the practice from the parliamentary elections is being repeated, that is, as he stated, the obvious intention of Belgrade to continue with the practice of its involvement in the political and democratic life and electoral processes in Montenegro.
"There is no doubt that Belgrade was very involved in the parliamentary elections in Montenegro. Both directly and indirectly with the functionalization of the Serbian Orthodox Church. So, from the mouths of their public figures, we have repeatedly heard a strong interest in the election outcome in Nikšić and in the population census in Montenegro," said Đukanović.
He said that Nikšić is one of the very stable strongholds of the state of Montenegro and its European perspective.
"Niksic is at the same time a strong stronghold of the DPS and I believe in a good result in the elections," said Đukanović.
He added that he believes that DPS will improve its result in relation to the parliamentary elections.
"Can we win? I think we can. If we do everything from the platform that we have very realistically set up, as a pre-election platform for our activities in Nikšić, if we do everything as we agreed, I am convinced that this is the way to victory", said Đukanović.
He said that there is a good atmosphere for DPS to participate in the Nikšić elections with traditional partners.
"I can't tell you that we have agreed on it yet, but I can freely say that there is a good atmosphere for it." Therefore, the talks on that topic are ongoing, there is still time for a final agreement", said Đukanović.
He added that he is optimistic that they will succeed in bringing together, not only former and current traditional allies, but "all those people who have an independent, sovereign, civil Montenegro close to their hearts and who want it to be a part of European civilization".
Speaking about the current government, he said that he does not expect that such a ruling coalition can be a serious support for the Government during the four-year period.
"So, I believe that Montenegro will face the need for early parliamentary elections," Đukanović said.
He said that he believes that, through elections or without them, there will have to be a political restructuring of the political scene, where the basic demarcation line will be clearly shown. which is not only a characteristic of political life in Montenegro.
"That is a characteristic of political life in our region." So, in every country of the region, including Montenegro, you have growing pro-European movements," explained Đukanović.
He stated that there is another part of the political scenes of the countries of the region "which is most accurately called the politics of primitive nationalism and chauvinism".
"Nothing that is European lives there. Only resistance to everything European resides there. "From that part of the political scene, both from Montenegro and from other countries, you will hear that Europe is a rotten civilization, and that NATO is the fourth Reich," said Đukanović.
He said that the "policy of double standards that is now observed in the government of Montenegro" cannot continue in the long term.
Đukanović reminded that the Government has said that it wants to continue on the path to Europe and that it wants to respect partnership obligations within NATO.
"Immediately after that, we saw the practice in which a member of the Government Council of the National Security Council became a man based on his position in the parliament, as the president of the Security and Defense Committee," said Đukanović and added that he was a man who was sentenced to five years in prison without final judgment for his participation in a coup d'état.
He asked if anyone in the Government expects that, after such constitution of the parliamentary Security Committee and the Governmental Security Council, NATO will share any more security information with Montenegro.
"If you want me to tell you from my experience, the answer is no." If you think that's going to ring a bell, it won't. "They just won't distribute what they need to distribute, which is very important for a country to be able to lead a serious policy," Đukanović assessed.
He added that "we are in the phase of raising awareness of certain dangers that Montenegro is going through now".
"I am an optimist, I believe that we will not allow Montenegro to turn back from the path of Europeanization of our society and integration into the EU," Đukanović concluded.
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