It is not true that there is an agreement on a new date for the Defense and Security Council session, the head of state's security adviser told "Vijesta" yesterday. Dejan Vuksic.
Prime Minister Milojko Spajic he informed the President of Montenegro and the Council the day before yesterday Jakov Milatović that, "due to commitments taken in advance", he cannot come to the meeting of the supreme command scheduled for Tuesday, August 20, and in that letter he suggested that it be held after August 25.
"According to the current agreement, the Council session will be held after August 25, and the Cabinet of the Prime Minister will inform the public about this activity of the Prime Minister in a timely manner", it is stated in yesterday's letter from Spajić's cabinet, with which they reacted to the writing of the "Dan" newspaper.
However, Spajić's cabinet did not mention the agreement on when the session will be held in its response to "Vijesta". They announced that it was scheduled by the president after agreeing on the date with the other two members of the Council, which, they claim, was not the case when the session was scheduled for August 20.
"On this occasion, the Secretary of the Council was informed that the prime minister will be in Pljevlja due to family obligations at the specified time. As the Prime Minister repeatedly proposed dates in the previous period, which unfortunately were not suitable, he will propose new dates to the members of the Council, in the belief that the session will be held as soon as possible", they said.
Vukšić told "Vijesta" that, on their part, there was no discussion with Spajić and his associates after the prime minister's letter about the impossibility of coming to the session on August 20, which Milatović scheduled at the beginning of the month.
"There has been no contact since yesterday (day before yesterday), when we were informed that he could not come to the session. It is not clear to me with whom the Prime Minister agreed on this, when the President of the State schedules the sessions", said Milatović's advisor for security and defense.
The Prime Minister's office announced yesterday, in response to the writing of "Dana", that the cancellation of attendance at the session can only occur when the appointment has been previously accepted and attendance confirmed.
"It is true that the Prime Minister previously offered several dates, among other things, he last proposed that the Council session be held on August 2 - which the public is aware of, but that date was not suitable for individual members of the Council," the cabinet stated.
They add that the Council session cannot be scheduled without the consent of the members of that body.
"Given that the President of the State, without consultation, scheduled the session for August 20, the Secretary of the Council was informed in a timely manner that the Prime Minister could not attend it, and a new date was requested."
Yesterday on the X network, after it was announced that the holding of the session of the Supreme Command had failed, the Prime Minister shared a post from the page "PES (Movement Europe now) against fake news" where it was stated that "the Council session was not scheduled because it would require consent all three members".
"On the appointed day, the Prime Minister will stay in Pljevlja due to urgent family obligations, about which the Secretary of the Council was informed in time," the publication of that page reads.
The Defense and Security Council has not met since the beginning of February, and several attempts to schedule a session failed because, as claimed by Milatović's public relations office, Spajić could not coordinate his obligations with the dates proposed by the president.
At the beginning of July, Spajić's cabinet told "Vijesta" that, "in the dynamic schedule" of the three members of the Council, it is complicated to agree on the dates of the sessions, and that this is one of the reasons that make it difficult to schedule and hold sessions, as well as the fact that one session in May canceled Milatović.
"Vijesti" learned that the third member of the Council is the head of the parliament Andrija Mandic, responded affirmatively to each proposed date for holding the session.
According to the Rules of Procedure of the Council, that body decides by consensus, i.e. - unanimously. According to the Constitution, the Council makes decisions on the command of the Army of Montenegro, analyzes and evaluates the security situation in the country, appoints, promotes and dismisses army officers, proposes to the parliament the declaration of a state of war and emergency, as well as the use of the army in international forces, and performs other tasks determined Constitution or law.
Prime Minister Spajić is currently on vacation on the French Riviera. Last night, his PES announced that the Prime Minister did not use the Government's plane for vacation purposes, but that he traveled to France on a regular commercial airline and in economy class. They also submitted photos of Spajić's plane tickets from his trip to France.
"Vijesti" received photos and videos yesterday showing the expensive villa "Le Mas de Maucon", where the Prime Minister is said to spend his holidays, but also photos of him, his wife and brother in a beach bar, walking, leaving a restaurant , shopping... Some of those photos were published the night before last by an influential user of the social network Iks, with claims that they are drinking champagne worth over 8.000 euros and a question - how much does it cost to stay in a villa.
PES stated last night that these claims "are easily denied by facts such as those that, as seen in the photos published today (yesterday), Spajić was in the restaurant 'Le Girelier'". They said that the price list of that restaurant can be found on the Internet, "where pasta prices are around 20 euros, and a glass of champagne is XNUMX euros".
"... Cheaper than in many places in Montenegro and the region", they said.
Ministry: The state bears huge consequences because there are no sessions
Yesterday, after "Vijesti" announced that there would be no Council session scheduled for August 20, the Ministry of Defense reacted by announcing that their leader Dragan Krapović he did not send appeals to Spajić regarding the Council, but, in accordance with his powers, letters to all members of that body.
Milatović's adviser Vukšić told "Vijesti" yesterday that Spajić had canceled his attendance at the Session countless times, "even despite the appeals of his defense minister".
"Namely, in accordance with the competences, acts number: 14-810/24-6434 of 24/6/2024 and 14-810/24-7820 of 30/7/2024, the Minister of Defense informed the members of the Council the need to hold the session as soon as possible, as well as to sign the submitted draft decisions. In a repeated letter from July 30, the Prime Minister expressed his willingness to hold the session on August 2, however, the minister's suggestion at that time was apparently not accepted by all three members of the Council", the Ministry states.
They say that the aforementioned letters from Krapović, with which Milatović, Mandić and Spajić were acquainted, were intended to inform the members of the Council, once again, of the need to hold the session as soon as possible, as well as to sign the submitted draft decisions.
"Also, we use this opportunity to inform the public that the Minister of Defense submitted to the members a total of 96 draft decisions on appointments, dismissals and promotions of officers of the Army of Montenegro, of which Prime Minister Spajić signed all 96 decisions, President Mandić 55, while President Milatović , until now, has not signed any decision submitted for signature", they claim, saying that due to the non-holding of state sessions, the Ministry, as well as the officers, are suffering enormous consequences and damage.
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