Radović: June 17 will forever remain as a shameful act of violent and arrogant violation of the citizens' electoral will

The President of the Municipal Assembly (SO) of Budva Krato Radović (Democratic Montenegro) said today that June 17, when the year of turbulent and unprecedented events for Budva ends, will forever be recorded as a shameful act of violent and arrogant suppression of the citizens' electoral will.

Last year, the administrative inspection entered the building of the Municipality of Budva with police force, arresting municipal officials, enabling the installation of a new city administration, supported by the majority of councilors - Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), Social Democrats (SD), Crnogorska and councilor Stevan Džaković.

"In those days, instead of images of traditional Budva hospitality and the touristic beauty of our city, images of violence and lawlessness were broadcast from Budva, which will someday have to receive a judicial epilogue. On June 17, the truth fell silent, justice was dumbfounded, and freedom was completely trampled The events that followed will mark the Montenegrin political scene and will make an immeasurable contribution to the first democratic transition of power in the history of our multi-party system. The clash of two value systems, two conceptions of the ideals of freedom and justice were the basis for the passing of two opposing sides. On the one hand, we had a self-proclaimed government created by political corruption that existed with the repressive police apparatus and the support of the then ruling thirty-year regime, while on the other hand we had a legitimately elected government based solely on the electoral will of our fellow citizens with examples of incredible solidarity and courage to defend the justice and freedom guaranteed by the Constitution" , announced Radović.

As he emphasized, "the scenes of eyeless violence, police brutality and institutional defeat are best evidenced by the videos that traveled around the region and the world, but also by all the citizens of Budva who in those days carried bitterness and sadness because of all of the above".

"However, those same citizens of Budva also witnessed scenes of amazing unity and a determined intention to preserve the electoral will of the citizens, but also human dignity and morality, which, like never before, were completely trampled on in those days. By marking the anniversary of the unfortunate event, I want to thank to the citizens of Budva who defended their electoral will day and night by expressing a peaceful protest against the illegal and violent seizure of power, and were exposed to the cruelest torture by the security organs trained by the political regimes of the DPS. I owe special thanks to all my political comrades and friends who supported me in the months that followed. I also express my gratitude to my colleagues from political parties with whom I defended the right to freedom of opinion and decision-making," said Radović.

He emphasized that "he owes sincere gratitude to the employees of the Municipality of Budva and public enterprises".

"Especially to the employees of the municipal police, fire service and others who, despite threats and blackmail, provided selfless support to our struggle. The events that marked the turbulent, and I hope unrepeatable, summer of 2020 and the August elections of the same year, exposed all the powerlessness of the then of a regime that based its survival solely on the illegal use of force and serious institutional abuses. The results of the August elections sent a clear message to the former regime that the legitimacy and legality of the government can only be based on the free will of our citizens. These events clearly warn us and oblige us to guard freedom, we respect the electoral will and never again allow primitivism and cowardice to defeat dignity and courage. We owe this to our ancestors, our descendants and all the brave fellow citizens who defended freedom in those days," concluded Radović.