Accused of international cigarette smuggling, actors of numerous domestic affairs, and even persons arrested while they were diplomatic representatives of Montenegro - this is only part of the picture of Montenegrin diplomacy from the time when the representative of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) was at the head of the government.
Head of State and leader of DPS, Milo Djukanovic, is today contesting a number of candidates for ambassadors, who were supported by the Government on the proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MVP) at the session at the beginning of the month. Đukanović gave his consent only to the long-term staff of the MFA.
In contrast to those who were previously "sheltered" for ambassadorships so that they would not be in the public's focus due to the numerous affairs that followed them, Đukanović now has objections to candidates who do not bear the burden of either international or domestic affairs, but also to those who have been awarded multiple times for their contribution to the democratization of Montenegro.
Former ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Dušanka Jeknić, was one of the defendants in the famous "tobacco affair" that lasted for years in Italy. The former ambassador to Slovenia and China was also involved in the same affair. Branko Perovic. Former diplomat in Poland, Budimir Apprentice, was arrested at the end of December last year, while he was on ambassadorial duty, because of the "Meljina" case.
Longtime mayor of Podgorica, Miomir Mugoš, who is on trial today for the "Carina" case and who was also an actor in a series of affairs, including an attack on the editor of "Vijesti", was the ambassador to Slovenia, where he was succeeded by a high-ranking official of the Social Democrats (SD) and former deputy prime minister and minister, Vujica Lazović whose name was brought into context with some privatization affairs.
Former Minister of Science, Sanja Vlahovic, after the scandal with accusations of plagiarism of scientific work, she was appointed ambassador to Italy, while after an unsuccessful attempt to revitalize her political career through the Montenegrin Democratic Union (today's Montenegro), the former head of Montenegrin diplomacy Miodrag Vlahović appointed ambassador to the Vatican.
During the previous governments, several ambassadors were appointed according to the political "key" - Borislav Banović (SDP) was in Great Britain, Ferhat Dinoša (DUA) in Albania, Ranko Vujacic in Germany, Slobodan Backović in Russia, Darko Pajović (Positive), after a vote of confidence in the Đukanović Government and a short term at the head of the Assembly, he went to China, Aleksandar Erakovic (chief adviser to the former prime minister Duško Marković) was in Spain after the UAE, Anka Vojvodic (DPS) in Serbia, Goran Sito Rakočević i Boro Vučinić (both DPS) in Croatia... So the legal norm that 30 percent of diplomats can be from the non-career class was never reached.
The day before yesterday, Đukanović's cabinet announced that it had informed the authorities in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, China, Hungary, the USA, Slovenia, Serbia, the Holy See, Spain, the UAE and the EU, that every candidate they were informed about - either through the media or formally - would not enjoys his consent. The list also includes countries for which the Government has not yet proposed ambassadors. Candidates for those countries were mentioned during consultations between Đukanović and the MFA.
Among those whom Đukanović disputes or for whom "he still has not taken a position" are a respected journalist Milka Tadić-Mijović, which was also on the list of information heroes of Reporters Without Borders. The head of state disputes i Filip Ivanovic, a professor at the University of Donja Gorica (UDG), of which Đukanović is a co-owner. At UDG, he continued to be an assistant for a while Petar Markovic, according to which Đukanović also did not officially decide. A long-time civil activist and former official of the Liberal Union of Montenegro (LSCG) was also challenged. Džemal Perović, although one of Đukanović's explanations was that Montenegro cannot be represented by those who "worked against it" and who voted for a common state with Serbia in the 2006 referendum.
In response to the announcement of Đukanović's cabinet, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it seems that the head of state is deliberately making it difficult to select candidates for ambassadors, "who do not actually represent political appointments and who are very successful in their professions".
Although there were no official explanations in public for contesting the individual candidates, and no one was named in yesterday's DPS announcement, on the official page of that party on Facebook, a poster with names and photos was published along with a link to the announcement. Montenegrin luck, former adviser to the prime minister Zdravka Krivokapića, who was proposed as ambassador to China, Ivanovic i Budimir Aleksić, who is said to have been proposed as ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Aleksić is not on the list of candidates that the Government adopted ten days ago on the proposal of the MFA.
The poster says that a Montenegrin is trying to stifle the freedom of the media in Montenegro, for Ivanović that he is "opposed to Montenegro joining international organizations", and for Aleksić that he wants to erect a monument to the Chetnik duke who was responsible for the murder of thousands of people in Bosnia during the Second World War war.
President of the Parliamentary Committee for International Relations and Emigrants and former diplomat, Miodrag Lekić, told "Vijesti" that neither he nor the members of the Board received any information from the MFA about the candidates for ambassadors, but that they read their names in the press.
When it comes to Đukanović's move to inform 12 countries that candidates for ambassadors do not have his consent, Lekić has no dilemma - the Montenegrin president is acting radically for internal political reasons.
"This is a very unpleasant situation, which represents a blow to the credibility of Montenegro. And it is very clear who is trying to compromise the state - Đukanović. He is there in the main role", the interlocutor points out.
Lekić, on the other hand, says that the MFA in this situation must act with a clearer attitude.
"We read about the candidates in the newspaper, which is not the happiest situation. So we have errors in the steps. According to the Constitution, the Government conducts foreign and domestic policy. Her initiatives should be respected, but both she and the MFA should respect the procedures. This could be better with more rules," he notes.
Lekić states that there were correct and capable people in Montenegrin diplomacy, but also those who absolutely did not deserve to be there.
"So they became ambassadors with Đukanović's approval, so it is grotesque that he is now stating some strictness in the criteria for appointment. "Just as it is grotesque when some propagandists, who defended crime and corruption abroad, now say that all criteria have been lost," he underlines.
Member of Parliament of the Movement for Change (PzP) and member of the Committee, Branka Bosniak, assesses that the current situation with candidates for ambassadors has shown that the legislation in that area is not specified enough.
"It's as if they didn't think that it could happen that the parliamentary majority is from one option, and the president from another option. Now it is coming to light, so we have a number of problems, including this one," she told "Vijesti".
According to her, the Montenegrin president is trying to obstruct the government at every step. She recalls that Đukanović gave credentials to "very problematic characters".
"I often got the impression that he sent some people to diplomacy as a 'punishment' - when they did something wrong here or received a criminal complaint, and then the public rose to their feet. That was the case with Vujic Lazović, Budimir Šegrt, Sanja Vlahović... Now he has given himself the right to judge who is who and whether the candidates love Montenegro. Because of this, we appear to be very frivolous in the international context. A compromise could have been found, but Đukanović is not ready for that," she emphasizes.
Secretary General of GP URA, Mileta Radovanić, previously announced that Montenegrin diplomacy is suffering consequences due to Đukanović's obstructions.
"Đukanović and his cabinet are behaving like prosecutors at international addresses, presenting to the foreign public issues that are exclusively internal, which is an unprecedented practice in the actions of any president, thereby deliberately destroying the reputation of Montenegro in front of international partners," he pointed out.
The DPS announced yesterday that seeking an agreement for ambassadors, without the approval of Đukanović, undermines the reputation of Montenegro. They believe that the new government is tendentious and revanchist, from the very beginning, "breaking the quality and professional diplomatic network of Montenegro".
"With the latest procedure, they have openly started to completely destroy the reputation of the state in certain partner countries. "How much they respect the country itself and its citizens, they have already said enough by proposing certain persons for ambassadors and members of diplomatic missions," said the DPS.
Krivokapić: Đukanović rejected those who criticized him
Đukanović's refusal to sign the appointments of new ambassadors, for Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapić, represents an attempt to obstruct the Government before important international addresses.
"I met that wonderful guy in Brussels, Petar Marković, who got his doctorate from Oxford, who is solid gold and who agreed to be our ambassador in Brussels. He was not respected because of two comments he made against the president. The same is the case with Filip Ivanovic, who was proposed for ambassador to the Vatican. Both of them once worked at the University of Donja Gorica," the Prime Minister told reporters in the Assembly.
Krivokapić stated that Milka Tadić Mijović was rejected as ambassador in Washington "only because she sometimes, or more often, highlighted problems related to the previous government in 'Monitor'".
"Do you think that is correct? That is why we wanted to seek an agreement. Why is this an obstruction? Because Brussels and Washington are important to us. "They are now trying to lower the reputation of this Government and this authority through lobbying, in order to reduce the effects of our future actions," said the Prime Minister.
Branko Radulović left the Board because of the new ambassadors
PzP MP Branko Radulović resigned from membership in the Committee for International Relations and Emigrants on June 1. At the session where the Government's proposal to recall six diplomats (Milica Pejanović Đurišić, Srđan Stanković, Bor Vučinić, Vladimir Beratović, Vujica Lazović and Zoran Janković) was discussed, he said that the government "will remove one (ambassador) and bring in the same others." - younger, tougher and more perfidious".
"It is the biggest tragedy. You will elect people who don't even have a 'D' in diplomacy. The people he (Minister Radulović) appoints were the most vital members of Roćen's MFA," he said, adding that he would not be a "taster MP".
Until the election of a new member, Radulović will be replaced by PzP MP Branka Bošnjak.
The state does not send a good image to international partners, cohabitation must be more responsible
Member of the Board and leader of the Socialist People's Party (SNP), Vladimir Joković, said that all Djukanović's power at the moment "is to prevent responsible people from coming to responsible positions and presenting Montenegro in the best possible way".
"For him, those who voted against the independence of Montenegro in 2006 have no moral right to be its ambassadors. The question is what moral right did he have to represent Montenegro, as president or prime minister, from 1992 - when he voted for a joint state with Serbia, praised Slobodan Milošević and persecuted the Liberals - until 2006?" he says.
The interlocutor of "Vijesti" says that mechanisms must be found to get out of the newly created situation.
"The people proposed as ambassadors are virtuous and honorable, and they are not like those proposed by Đukanović, many of whom were corrupt and involved in numerous affairs. Đukanović also knew how to send his staunchest opponents to diplomacy for the sake of peace in the party, regardless of whether they deserved it or not," added Joković.
President of the Bosniak Party (BS) and member of the Board, Ervin Ibrahimović, told "Vijesta" that this case does not send a good image to international partners.
"Cohabitation must be much stronger and more responsible. I would not go back to the way it was before when appointing ambassadors. I believe that we should look at how it is now and how it should be. I invite all those responsible to find a common word, so that in the end we can choose the best diplomats", said Ibrahimović.
See more:
Download the app and follow the news
FOLLOW US ON
