President Milo Đukanović issued, after the corrected explanation of the Government's proposal for recall, and the procedures stipulated by the Constitution, decrees on the recall from the post of ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Montenegro, on a resident basis in: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Italy, China, Germany , Poland, the Holy See, the Sovereign Order of Malta and the United Arab Emirates, as well as ambassadors on a non-resident basis in: Bahrain, Estonia, Indonesia, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, the Republic of Korea, San Marino and Saudi Arabia.
"As I said on the first day - it is not in doubt whether the new Government has the political legitimacy to undertake this initiative. Formally, it acquired that right as a result of the election on August 30. The expectation that the President of Montenegro prevents the use of that right, objectively represents the expectation that I I am redoing the election result. Of course, I will not do that. All those who think differently today than on August 30, should save that opinion for the next election," the president's announcement states.
Another question, Đukanović adds, is whether the ruling coalition should have used that right differently. "Let the public judge on the basis of this initiative whether the new majority's first priority is the creation of a professional diplomatic service, or the demonstration of power after the elections. In my opinion, it is revanchism through which the new Government shows its true political face, and ultimately responsibility towards the State ."
What is also not questionable, the president points out, but the necessity he insisted on, is that the use of political right "must not be abused to smear people."
"Therefore, the ambassadors whose impeachment was proposed cannot be qualified as persons who work to the detriment and against the interests of the State. That is why I have not issued decrees until now. And that is why I asked for a correction of the explanation publicly announced by government officials," Đukanović states.
He said that he did so after the explanation now states, among other things, that the ambassadors are being changed due to the Government's desire to provide a more authentic interpretation of its policy in the international community, believing that through the renewed diplomatic composition, through the usual consultative process and respecting the cohabitation of the authorities, to contribute to the further professionalization of diplomatic representation and the continuation of the continuous fulfillment of Montenegro's strategic foreign policy priorities.
"At the same time, I would like to point out that the sending of a note by the MFA of Montenegro to the ministries of foreign affairs of the host countries before the completion of the procedure provided for by the Constitution of Montenegro, shows that even after discussions with representatives of the Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the new government confirms that it is actually not interested in cohabitation but demonstration of force and revanchism. I take note and my attitude towards such practice will be adequate," Đukanović announced.
He thanked everyone who was recalled based on the mentioned initiative - ambassadors Vera Kuliš, Dušanka Jeknić and Sanja Vlahović, and ambassadors Miodrag Vlahović, Tarzan Milošević, Darko Pajović, Obrad Miš Stanišić and Budimir Šegrt - for professionally and responsibly serving the interests of Montenegro.
"These are the stages of democratic development that the country must go through in order to be better, more legally regulated and more democratically mature. I hope that this experience will serve us in the future, through preserving the dignity of the profession and people, and respecting legal procedures, to preserve and build on our reputation of Montenegro in the world," concludes the president's statement.
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