Sharp reactions of the leader of the former Democratic Front (DF) Andrije Mandić i Milan Knežević to the decision of Montenegro to support the adoption of the resolution on the genocide in Srebrenica at the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN), are a sign that the two are weighing whether to finally enter the government through reconstruction or to leave power and satisfy the expectations of the president of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić.
Thus, a professor at the University "Donja Gorica" Nikoleta Djukanovic see the positions of the leaders of the former DF after yesterday's adoption of the resolution with the vote of Montenegro, which the two strongly opposed, while Knežević also announced a review of support for the Prime Minister's office Milojko Spajić.
Đukanović says that he thinks that Mandić and Knežević are aware of the fact that it is very certain that Montenegro will soon receive the Report on the Assessment of Fulfillment of Interim Benchmarks (IBAR) from the European Commission, and that they see that this is an excellent moment for the reconstruction of the executive power, which they are demanding. They now support the government from the parliament, without participating in it.
"The question is whether they will miss another chance to enter the Government, considering what happened to them in 2020 and considering the events of the past summer, when this Government was negotiating. I think that would mean another personal defeat for them. So the calculation is in fact between them finally not missing the chance to enter the Government and meeting the expectations from Belgrade", the interviewee assesses.
Knežević's Democratic People's Party (DNP) announced the night before last that the resolution on Srebrenica was a "complete fiasco", and that Spajić's government entered "the darkest pages of Montenegrin history, declaring Montenegro a genocidal state".
DNP spokeswoman Jovana Todorović, she said that her party fully understands the dissatisfaction of citizens and their gatherings (protests) due to Montenegro's support for the adoption of the resolution, adding that, in accordance with an earlier announcement, the party leadership will "inform the public about its further moves" in the next few days.
"... We can conclude that two-thirds of the world's population did not vote 'for' (the adoption of the resolution). "Although the goal was for over 100 countries to vote 'for' the resolution, with unprecedented pressure from Germany, the majority resisted the attempt to revise history," she stated.
Yesterday, Knežević wrote on the "X" network that he "never felt prouder" of being a Serb than the day before yesterday, when the resolution was voted on, and "never more painful" of being a Montenegrin than yesterday.
Mandić, as the president of the New Serbian Democracy (NSD), announced that by participating in the discussion at the UN General Assembly, Montenegro "additionally compromised itself", and that the adoption of the resolution "sharply divided" the region and "brought it to the lowest possible level." ” the relations of Montenegro with Serbia and Republika Srpska, “which are the closest to us”.
He assessed that the resolution "further united the Serbian people, regardless of the countries in which they live", and showed that "it has the strength to fight future challenges that humanity will surely face".
"Serbs will never again be marginalized in this country... The Serbian language will never be humiliated again, but, after the publication of the results of the (population) census, it will take the place that it rightfully and justly belongs to." Citizenship will be acquired by all those who are established in Montenegro by birth or family ties, as well as those who have lived in this country for years and have not received it so far, so they will no longer be second-class citizens. The historic tricolor will be returned to its rightful place by law. The Serbian Orthodox Church and its believers will never again have to fear that someone will steal their holy places..." he said.
When asked if Mandić's message about the fight for Serb rights actually suggests that he will remain in power, Đukanović answers in the affirmative and adds that the head of the NSD and the Assembly actually sees his own long-term political strategy. According to her, he sees himself as a holder of power who can implement the things he promises.
"This is a long-term political strategy, because the part concerning citizenship brings long-term votes to Mandić outside Montenegro, and in this way he establishes his electorate, which will not be questioned", she claims.
When it comes to Knežević, Đukanović says that he reacts by listening to Vučić's messages. He states that at one point Vučić had a relatively mild attitude towards Montenegro's announcement that he would support the adoption of the resolution, but that he then changed his attitude.
"So I think that Knežević's reactions are aligned with the reactions of Mr. Vučić, and that his (Knežević's) policy is dominantly based on satisfying the interests and expectations of the authorities in Belgrade", states the interviewee.
With the adoption of the resolution, July 11 was declared the International Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Srebrenica Genocide. The document condemns the denial of genocide, but also the glorification of war criminals.
The voting of the resolution was supported by 84 UN members, 19 were against, 68 abstained, while 22 members did not vote. Montenegro supported the adoption, as did the other countries of the former Yugoslavia (Croatia, Slovenia, North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina), except Serbia, which was against it, as well as China, Russia, Hungary, Cuba, Nicaragua...
Prime Minister and leader of the Europe Sad Movement, Spajić, said yesterday that "no one will gain anything from the non-binding resolution, nor will there be any harm from it."
"I think the essence is to turn again to the projects with which we will connect, in order to better understand each other," he said after the session of the executive power.
Đukanović: The talk about the resolution on Jasenovac will be accelerated
The source of "Vijesti" from the ruling coalition said that he does not expect that NSD and DNP will withhold support from the Government because Montenegro voted for the resolution on Srebrenica.
That interlocutor said that he thinks that the state acted correctly, and that its amendments, which were entered into the text of the document, "prevented all manipulations".
When asked if she expects the NSD and DNP to insist that the resolution on the genocide in Jasenovac be adopted as soon as possible, whose proposal the ruling majority recently sent to the parliamentary procedure, Nikoleta Đukanović replies that she thinks that the issue will be intensified.
"But I'm not sure how much this can lead to the normalization of relations with Serbia. And on the other hand, this will again emphasize a lot of open questions in the relationship with Croatia...", she concludes.
Bonus video:
