Zirojević: Šaranović escapes from the control hearing

MP of the Social Democrats of Montenegro (SD) and member of the Committee for Security and Defense Nikola Zirojević said that the Minister of Internal Affairs Danilo Šaranović is "running away from the control hearing" at the Committee for Security and Defense.

He also stated in the press release that Šaranović is trying to "humiliate the Board and the Parliament".

"The Minister of Internal Affairs, Danilo Šaranović, informed the President of the Security and Defense Committee, Miodrag Laković, in a letter that, although he had previously confirmed his presence, he would not attend the control hearing on the topic 'Appointment of Acting Director of the Police Administration and consequences for the security system in Montenegro', and as the reason is participation in the Summit of Chiefs of Police of the UN Member States (UNCOPS)," said Social Democrat deputy and member of the Security and Defense Committee, Nikola Zirojević.

He added that the MPs were informed about this by email, and that Šaranović was "so impressed that he offered to attend at some time before or after the indicated period of absence".

"Because we MPs are idle and lazy, so we just wait for the minister to chirp and run to listen to him. At the same time, assuming that he gives us a lesson and tells us that he is the smartest and most capable for the job," said Zirojević.

In the letter he sent to the president and members of the Committee for Security and Defense, he stated that I think this attitude of Saranović towards the parent committee is "extremely unprofessional and incorrect, and that this way demonstrates disrespect for the committee", the members of the Committee and the Assembly.

"We have been waiting for this control hearing for more than two months, in order to get into a situation where the minister informs us 10 days before the hearing that he will not be able to attend the hearing due to his presence at the Summit of Police Chiefs of the UN Member States. I personally think that no minister should have obligations of this type as the invitation to participate in UNCOPS was published on the official website on April 12, 2024, the minister should have known about this obligation much earlier and should have informed the committee about the situation in which he found himself. and bearing in mind that the minister confirmed his attendance at the committee session on April 18, the impression remains that the minister of the interior is purposefully avoiding the discussion of the mentioned topic at the committee, which I will certainly question if my colleague Laković does not use the authority of the chairman of the Committee for Security and Defense and solve the situation we found ourselves in," Zirojević said in an email.

He added that this attitude of Saranović towards the Committee "represents the continuation of the conflict between the Democrats and the PES".

Zirojević told Laković that, if he is unable to secure the presence of Šaranović and Prime Minister Milojko Spajić, he should resign from that position, "considering that the work of the Committee is already largely meaningless."