Former official of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) Milica Pejanović Đurišić and former ambassador to Skopje Predrag Mitrovic, are the most serious candidates for ambassadorial positions in Washington and Belgrade, "Vijesti" learns.
Pejanović Đurišić is in the running for a position in Washington, even though the State Department was a distinguished journalist as recently as November last year. Milka Tadic Mijović approved the agreement for the ambassadorship.
Tadić Mijović is one of a number of candidates who were supported by the previous government, at the suggestion of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MVP), and who are contested by the president. Milo Djukanovic (DPS), which, according to the Constitution, appoints and dismisses ambassadors...
It does so at the proposal of the Government and with the opinion of the parliamentary foreign policy committee.
Đukanović's cabinet told "Vijesti" that the president was not informed that the USA had approved the agreement with Tadić Mijović.
The head of state previously refused to support Filip Ivanovic for ambassador to the Holy See, despite the fact that on September 30 of last year he also received an agreement.
The MFA did not respond to "Vijesti" whether they were aware that the contract for Tadić Mijović had arrived, nor whether they had taken any action in this regard.
They only unofficially said that diplomatic customs dictate not to mention names.
From the Prime Minister's Office Dritan Abazović, to the same questions, "Vijesti" announced that obtaining an agreement for Tadić Mijović supports the fact that it was a quality candidate.
"With a note that the other candidates for important international positions - London, Berlin, Warsaw, UN - have received agreements or an agreement has been reached on them. We expect that in the new political circumstances there could be a dialogue and the holding of foreign policy consultations by all three entities (the Government, the President and the Assembly), so that Montenegro would be represented internationally at the appropriate level", they stated, without specifying what they did regarding the Tadić agreement. Mijović.
She confirmed the list - that she was informed that her agreement had arrived.
As "Vijesti" wrote, Đukanović has objections to candidates who do not bear the burden of international or domestic affairs, and who have been awarded multiple times for their contribution to the democratization of Montenegro, such as Tadić Mijović, who was on the list of information heroes of Reporters Without Borders.
A year ago, he called on the Government to suspend requests for agreements, informing the competent authorities in several countries that every candidate they were informed about - did not enjoy his approval.
Meanwhile, the head of state gave his consent to some of the proposals that were disputed by him, but ambassadorial positions in key international addresses, such as Washington, London and Berlin - are still vacant.
Some of the candidates of the former government for ambassadors were not supported by the Committee for International Relations and Emigrants, which gives its opinion on their appointment and recall, although this is not binding for the head of state.
Montenegro has been without a diplomat in Washington since February 2021, when Đukanović recalled the former ambassador Nebojša Kaluđerović. The government previously adopted a proposal to recall him due to the expiration of his mandate.
Pejanović Đurišić, who could succeed him, is one of the founders of DPS, a former president and a long-time official of that party.
As it is written in her biography on the website of the Atlantic Alliance of Montenegro, of which she is a member of the Board of Directors, she was a member of the Presidency of Montenegro from 1990 to 1992, and a member of Parliament from 1992 to 2001.
From 2004 to 2006, she was the ambassador of the state union of Serbia and Montenegro in Belgium and Luxembourg, and after the restoration of state independence, she became the first Montenegrin ambassador to France, the Principality of Monaco and UNESCO.
Pejanović Đurišić was serving as the Minister of Defense when, at the end of 2015, Montenegro was invited to join NATO.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ranko Krivokapic, announced last week in the show "Načisto" on TV "Vijesti" that Pejanović Đurišić is an excellent ambassador. "Who did an excellent job in France as well, who was the minister of defense who introduced us to NATO", he stated.
Mitrović, a candidate for the vacant position in Belgrade, was a diplomat in Skopje from 2014 to 2018.
In his fourth term, he is the president of the Union of Employers of Montenegro (UPCG).
As stated in his biography on the UPCG website, he is an economist by profession, he was the president of the Management Board of the Union of Employers of Yugoslavia, and apart from the economy, he also held the positions of vice president of the Olympic Committee of Montenegro and member of the Presidency of the Olympic Committee of Serbia and Montenegro, president of the Tennis Association of Montenegro and the President of the Tennis Association of Yugoslavia.
Montenegro has also been without an ambassador in Serbia since February 2021, when Đukanović issued decrees recalling several diplomats, including the former representative in Serbia. Tarzan Milosevic.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanded the impeachment of him and six other ambassadors because, as they stated in the explanation, they did not work in the interest of the state.
Đukanović initially refused to sign the revocations, claiming that the MFA's proposals were not accompanied by explanations.
Krivokapić also said in the show "Načisto" that the appointment of an ambassador in Belgrade is a priority after solving those issues in Washington and Berlin.
"I expect that the prime minister will have a good solution, and that I am ready to support (the solution). His lines with Belgrade are good, he considers that line very important, and I am here to help", he said.
Abazović's cabinet: There was no political will for an agreement on ambassadors
Abazović's cabinet states that it is evident that in the previous period there was no clear political will on the part of those who decide on the appointment of ambassadors - the Government, the President and the Assembly - to hold foreign policy consultations and agree on those who would represent Montenegro.
"After several rounds of consultations held between the then Vice President Abazović, Minister Đorđe Radulović and President Đukanović, agreement was not reached on part of the appointment, while agreement was reached on a number of ambassadors - which resulted in the appointment of ambassadors to the EU, Italy and the Council of Europe. For a number of agreed appointments, which were agreed upon after several rounds of negotiations, the final vote of the deputies in the Committee for International Relations did not give a positive opinion regarding the sending of the other candidates".
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