The proposal for the dismissal of the President of the Parliament of Montenegro Andrija Mandić did not receive the support of the majority of deputies.
At today's session, 27 MPs voted for the dismissal of Mandić, and 44 voted against it.
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Danijel Živković (DPS) said that they had no dilemma as to what the outcome of the vote on the initiative would be, but they wanted to see whether Montenegro was on the European path or not.
He told PES that if they had any political dignity, they would come forward to "at least say something".
"You remind me most of the air. Float for the sake of order, as if you are not sitting here. You will see how this will be reflected in the elections. By remaining silent today, you have identified yourself with the ideological values of what Andrija Mandić represents. Essentially, we need to come to an agreement with Mandić on with all important issues, not with Milojko Spajić".
He said that there is no need to talk about Mandić in particular, because when he was elected to this position, he said that "the goals remain the same, only the paths are different."
"He tries to please the international community until noon, and in the afternoon he puts his finger in the eye of civil Montenegro".
Milan Knežević said that Živković told a lie when he said that Knežević stated that he would have stormed Tuza in 1998 if he had had a weapon.
"If you find it, I will leave political life. And you tell me when I said it and where I said it, and I didn't. If you don't find it, I expect you to at least apologize".
Živković said that there is a video recording and that it happened at the session when the ombudsman was elected and that Knežević threw it out of place.
Knežević said that then Đukanović spoke about the protests in front of the Assembly in 1998.
"I also said that it was an honor for me to protest in front of the Government. The lawsuits were not mentioned".
The debate is over, voting is secret by ballot.
Nikola Rovčanin (Democrats) said that the Democrats will vote against the initiative to remove Mandić, first of all, since they are signatories to the coalition agreement, from which certain rights and obligations arise.
"The second thing is of a political nature, the parliamentary majority has achieved record results in these 132 days when it comes to the standard of citizens and the fight against organized crime and corruption," he said, and he especially emphasized the majority's contribution to Montenegro's European path when it comes to the judiciary.
SNP deputy Snežana Kaluđerović said that her party will also vote against the removal of Mandić because they see it as an attempt to block the parliament.
She said that it is clear that Milo Đukanović is behind the initiative of the DPS and that the current leader of the DPS is only on paper.
Andrija Nikolić (DPS) said that, if he were in the position of BS, he would not be too upset that Knežević announced that he would leave the government, because he had announced it several times, but he did not do it.
"When you talk about Dodik and the meetings with Filip Vujanović and Đukanović, don't forget to talk about the meetings where some of them were organized in Brussels, or in the RS, as part of the state visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina," said Nikolić.
He recalled that Dodik once said that genocide took place in Srebrenica, until he received "Russian money".
Responding to Nikolic, Knežević quoted what Đukanović told Dodik during their meeting "that Montenegro remains open to cooperation with the RS..."
"Next to the picture of Putin, you should also keep the picture of Dodik. You know how the citizens of Herzegovina rejoiced at the independence of Montenegro, because they thought that the RS would also be independent," said Knežević.
He told DPS that "the way they are" suits them (ZBCG) and PES the most and that they should be worried because Dritan Abazović has taken over the helm of the opposition and in the next elections he will be stronger than DPS.
Nikolić said that any behavior of the previous government in the form of meetings with Đukanović never resulted in a note of protest in BiH.
"As far as ratings are concerned, according to the latest research, DPS is the strongest political party in Montenegro," Nikolić said, adding that the elections will be held very soon.
In response to Knežević, Ibrahimović said that he does not know where Knežević's desire to decide on the reconstruction of the Government comes from, when he has four deputies.
He said that no one from BS had met with Dodik.
"You talk about Yugoslavia, which was led by convicted criminal Milošević, or Biljana Plavšić... You will not drag me to that field".
Knežević said that he assumed that someone from BS was at the DPS Congress in 2019 when Radovan Karadžić's party congratulated DPS.
"It doesn't seem to me that any of you have left that congress. Certainly I will decide to some extent about the reconstruction because I am a signatory to the Agreement. But if you enter the Government, after your presentation today, I will leave," he warned.
He added that it bothers BS that Dodik met with Putin, but he doesn't mind that he met with Erdogan a few days later.
"I didn't hear you, condemn Israel's aggression against Palestine... You can't because of other calculations and combinations".
He said that they are ready to build a partnership with BS, but on an equal basis, and not to constantly apologize to them for something, and that should be done by the "gentlemen on their right".
Ibrahimović asked for the procedure, and said that everyone condemned the aggression against Palestine.
"There is no anti-Serb politics anywhere in the ranks of BS," said Ibrahimović.
Knežević also responded procedurally and apologized to Ibrahimović, stating that he is not an anti-Serb politician to the point of exclusivity, reminding that he "was fighting with Novak Kilibard in Narodna Sloza".
Milan Knežević began his presentation by addressing the ambassadors of the fifth, asking them if Montenegro can move forward with such narratives, with a type of "medieval, tribal cannibalism contained in an explanation that is exclusively anti-Serbian and anti-democratic".
"I would ask Mrs. Rajnka and Mr. Biks Ali, who is not yet known if he will come because he allegedly mobbed some people in Poland, if we can go to Europe with these people? I don't think we can go to Russia with them either. I am scared for the future of Montenegro, but a glimmer of hope has appeared - Dritan Abazović has become the leader of the opposition".
He told the opposition that only catharsis can help them to be better politicians.
He asked them who was in the photo with Dodik that he showed.
"This is Filip Vujanović, the third time he was elected to office when Milo Đukanović pushed him out. This here is your tricolor, a map of the RS...".
He also showed a photo from the Church of Christ's Resurrection where Dodik was, as well as Igor Lukšić, Brano Gvozdenović...
In the next photo he showed Đukanović and Dodik, and then Biljana Plavšić, who is smiling "like Sharon Stone" while being hugged by Milo Đukanović.
He claims that Đukanović was not "smiling like this in the wedding photo" as he smiles in the photo with Dodik.
"If you didn't have Putin and Milorad Dodik, you would never have an independent Montenegro".
As he added, if the BS votes for the dismissal of Andrija Mandić, the DNP will be against the reconstruction of the Government in which the BS would enter.
"So God helped me. You can't play one half for Partizan and the other half for Zvezda".
He called on the opposition to condemn the aggression against Ukraine to condemn the aggression against the FRY or the aggression of "Israel against Palestine".
"I condemn, you Europeans, if you may".
Ervin Ibrahimović (BS) said that they do not see this initiative as the dismissal of Andrija Mandić, but as a test of Montenegro's Euro-Atlantic path.
"We have to adopt the values of the societies we aspire to. If you want that, you will have the support of BS," said Ibrahimović.
He asked if this is a real story for the European family and if this home should be led by a man who said: "What a NATO, Russia is coming back".
During his presentation, MPs of the ZBCG coalition threw him from their seats, and he told them that they would not deconcentrate him.
He said that BS will vote for the dismissal of Mandić.
Andrija Mandić responded to the criticism of the opposition and said that they tried to humiliate him and present him as he is not.
"The better and the higher went to the better and the higher, and I hardly liked you," Mandić quoted Stjepan Mitro's Ljubiša.
He said that Dodik's visit and the tricolor in his cabinet are two new things attributed to him by the opposition, and that everything else is a story that follows him even before he took office.
"I am the way I am, I wouldn't change hands with any of you, but I would like for the sake of the citizens that we try to avoid harsh sentences and wording in the future. I use the opportunity to thank the citizens of Cetinje, because of those who were at the protest, the least Cetinje. The majority of Cetinje decided not to go out, but to hear what the Assembly has to say."
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He added that citizens are interested in the concrete results delivered by the parliamentary majority.
He stated that this majority had good results, the average salary increased, the minimum pension...
"It is the result of the work of people who want to work for all citizens. To be able to do that, we must have peace and stability... We are all trying in different ways for our country to become a member of the EU as soon as possible".
He added that they achieved something that their predecessors did not - they unblocked the work of the Constitutional Court, the prosecution, and that is highly valued in Brussels.
"These attacks are the result of those old politicians who are not in the parliament today, and have billions, connections with crime, their hydroelectric plants... They don't want to discuss what they have... Today you have this overflow of millions, without anyone they did not invent the Internet, but robbed, smuggled cigarettes, oil, coffee, drugs... I want to open up these topics".
The dangerous criminal structure, he added, still wants to control certain political parties, individuals and through hired analysts and journalists, spreads stories "is this weight on the neck of Montenegro"...
"All this so that some prosecutor would not invite them to talk about the custodial account, nobody's house, collateral...".
He said that he is not the leader of the political majority.
He said that this parliamentary majority is functioning and stands firm on the agreement and when it fulfills all that, bearing in mind the reconstruction that should happen soon, there will be seven-hour working hours and everything else.
Oskar Huter (DPS) asked Mandić how he offended him at the session in Cetinje.
He said that he stands by the position expressed in Cetinje for Mandić to bear the title of "Chetnik duke" and if that offended him, he is ready to apologize.
"Also, I said that you are the holder of dual citizenship. If you are not, I am ready to correct the statements. I also said that you are the first convicted of a "coup". Is that incorrect?", he asked.
He asked him where he was to talk about the "unremembered siege of Cetinje", about hate speech in the previous period...
He said that he found the Europe Now 2 program on the New Serbian Democracy website and congratulated Mandić on "disciplining PES".
Adrijan Vuksanović (HGI) said that he has no problem with Mandić, because he is what he was, but the problem is those who present themselves as having civic orientations, "and they will support a man who denies the genocide in Srebrenica, denies Russia's aggression against Ukraine." ...
Nikola Janović (DPS) said that national divisions in Montenegro have existed for a long time, after 1918, and it is necessary to discuss it, not to run away from it.
He stated that he was ready to welcome some conciliatory tones that were heard from Mandić at the beginning, but his behavior later, especially the visit of Dodik, is reprehensible.
Nikola Rakočević (DPS) said that the initiative to remove Mandić was not a showdown with someone.
"If there were no Serbs, there would be no multi-ethnic Montenegro. If there were no Serbs, Croats, Bosniaks, Roma, etc.."
He stated several reasons why Mandić should be dismissed, primarily due to the visit of Dodik, who is on the US blacklist.
"Dodik's visit two days after the meeting with Putin, to convey messages. A man who wants the independence of the RS entity from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the flag of the RS entity stands out, not the flag of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina. These are all the reasons for the dismissal of Mandić", he said.
Aleksandra Despotović (DPS) said that the current parliamentary majority is a brake on the development of Montenegro.
Branislav Nenezić (SD) asked the PES MPs which of them were members of the DPS, and some of them "negotiated some family arrangements" with the SD.
He suggested that the dismissal of Mandić be publicly voted on.
Independent MP Radinka Ćinćur said that this parliament closed three important problems on the way to the EU and that Mandic has the support of the Independent Club of MPs.
However, as she added, she was concerned about the procedure of not allowing the hearing of the Government representative regarding the borrowing, which is a business opportunity that Mandic "used abundantly" in the past.
DPS MP Jevto Eraković said that they are not under the illusion that the initiative will be voted on, but will once again "expose" the politics governing Montenegro and the "unprincipled alliances" that support Andrija Mandić's policy.
He said that the Europe Movement now represents one of the biggest political frauds in Montenegrin political history.
He said that the same fate awaits PES as "Milojko Spajić in the presidential elections".
"Jakov Milatović escaped in time, and maybe one of you will too".
Filip Adžić (GP URA) said that there are many reasons why one should vote for the dismissal of Mandić and "this parliamentary majority".
As Mandić said, he is someone who, regardless of the attempt to change the narrative and turn to the EU, causes huge divisions in society.
He said that he was worried about the silence of Mandić due to the debt for which it is not yet known at what interest rate, but also the fact that the director of the police cannot be elected yet.
"We have the return of confrontations between criminal groups, burning of vehicles, fatalities and victims who were avoided only by sheer luck... We don't have to explain your ideological determinations, we certainly differ, but this is something that is deeply contrary to what you propagated when you were opposition".
He added that instead of promising citizens that they would work for seven hours, now it is happening that citizens will work for seven days.
"All this deserves to be punished and bear political responsibility".
Adžić said that the URA will vote for the dismissal of Mandić.
Boris Mugoša (SD) said that for them there are 132 reasons why Andrija Mandić should not be the president of the Assembly, and he has already been in that position for so many days.
He said that those who elected Mandić owe answers to the questions - who opened the story about flags and language, citizenship, about the visit of a man who denies the genocide in Srebrenica - Boris Mugoša or Andrija Mandić?
"You say that we are creating divisions, and Andrija Mandić is advocating reconciliation? Is that serious politics? I understand that you received support, but too quickly and too much," said Mugoša.
Nikolić said that Mandić is a weight on the neck of European Montenegro and "a wolf in lamb's clothing".
Ivan Vuković (DPS) said that none of them have a problem with Mandić.
"Mandić's house is located 50 meters from my parents' house. Mandić's late father was a good friend of my grandfather. But Mandić has been doing political things for 30 years, which makes him a 'stone around the neck' of European Montenegro," said Vukovć.
He added that Mandic did not deny his thesis that the referendum on the independence of Montenegro was stolen and that genocide did not take place in Srebrenica.
"You are a representative of those who implement national-chauvinistic policies in certain municipalities. You are a promoter of Greater Serbian nationalism and for you the heroes are Karadžić and Mladić... Because of you and those who follow you, this parliament is a place where the Constitution and laws are trampled because of you, the largest number of ambassadors from the countries of the Western world bypass this parliament", said Vuković.
Damir Gutić (BS) said that Mandić leads the parliamentary majority, which was confirmed by the PES when a few days ago it submitted an initiative to withdraw the proposal to dismiss Mandić.
He stated that Mandić is spoiling Montenegro's relations with its neighbors, especially BiH, by congratulating the unconstitutional day of the RS and meeting with Dodik.
Milan Knežević added that Dodik also went to see Erdogan.
Gutić said that BS is also bothered by something that is not mentioned in the initiative, which is the creation of a certain narrative that boils down to disobeying the law in local administrations headed by parties from Mandić's coalition.
Andrija Nikolić (DPS), explaining the proposal, said that Mandić is "the head of the parliamentary majority" and that is the biggest problem in the further democratization of Montenegro.
He said that Mandic is in illegal possession of Serbian citizenship and that he has confirmed this several times in the media.
"You, colleagues, have taken responsibility for violating the Law on Montenegrin Citizenship. Why is the MUP not reacting?" he asked, adding that this was the key reason why Mandic could not be the president of the parliament, but also a deputy. Nikolić said that from the beginning of his mandate, Mandić tried to compromise the Parliament of Montenegro, first by going to Serbia to celebrate Vučić's victory, then by introducing the flag of another country into the cabinet, as well as by congratulating Republika Srpska on the unconstitutional day and organizing the visit of the "declared denier of the genocide in Srebrenica". Milorad Dodik.
He accused the majority of knowingly turning a blind eye to Andrija Mandić's violation of the law.
"Things are completely clear here, your boss is not Milojko Spajić, but Andrija Mandić. And as long as that is the case, you cannot tell citizens that you are representatives of European politics."
The session of the Assembly continued and for the next three hours the deputies will discuss the initiative to dismiss the Speaker of the Parliament Andrija Mandić.
The Vice-President of the Assembly Zdenka Popović reminded that the proposal was submitted by the deputies of DPS, SD and DUA.
At the collegium, it was agreed that the discussion should last three hours, without introductory presentations. The session will continue at 14 pm.
At Nikolić's insistence, Mandić said that he could take a break considering that the request came from the parliamentary club.
"I'm not sure we'll hold the collegium. It's not the first time we've shared a time of three hours".
He announced that, according to the Rules of Procedure, PES, as the largest club, has 44 minutes of discussion, DPS 38 minutes, New Serbian Democracy 20 minutes, Democrats 16 minutes, etc.
Amer Smailović (BS) also applied for the collegium.
Milan Knežević (DNP) said that at the session on Thursday, when everyone was invited to the collegium, "they received a clear command from Dritan Abazović" and the opposition did not come to the collegium.
"Should we ask Dritan Abazović that the opposition is going to the collegium?" asked Knežević.
After that, Mandić took a break and scheduled a collegium.
The MPs started the discussion on the initiative for the dismissal of Mandić, and the Vice-President of the Assembly Zdenka Popović took the chair.
Andrija Nikolić said that it has never happened that the session of the Assembly begins without a collegium being held first and the methodology of the session being agreed upon.
"We didn't divide the debaters, we didn't agree on the distribution of time... We can't work like this".
Mandić suggested that the discussion on this point last for three hours, that they divide the discussion according to the strength of the parliamentary groups, and then hold a collegium.
Čarapić told the opposition, who were throwing punches from the seat, that they (the opposition) do not know what they have endured.
Boris Mugoša (SD) said that the opposition did not commit a procedural foul.
"Don't solve internal problems behind our backs".
Andrija Nikolić (DPS) said that Čarapić addressed the opposition "arguing with something that should not be argued with".
"That's why I threw him out of his seat so that he doesn't know what he's talking about," Nikolić said and added that this point (initiative) was the first to be discussed by Mandić.
Nikolić added that the ignorance of the Rules of Procedure shown by Čarapić is striking.
Čarapić replied that Mandić did not submit the Proposal for his dismissal, but the opposition.
"The collegium determines the agenda. You didn't have a problem with it being an item on the agenda, we didn't have a problem either. We will withdraw this cleanly so that the initiatives of the opposition do not pass," said Čarapić and added that someone is constantly raising tensions.
Čarapić suggested that amendments to the Law on the Restitution of Expropriated Property Rights and Compensation be included in the next few days.
That proposal, as well as amendments to the Law on Expropriation, was included in the agenda.
The Government's proposal to confirm the Marrakesh Agreement was also included in the agenda.
62 deputies voted for the agenda as a whole (no one was against or abstained).
Bonus video:
