Deputies of the ruling majority parties do not have a single position on the abolition of the immunity of the deputy of the New Serbian Democracy (NSD) and the president of the Municipality of Nikšić Marko Kovačević because of the case brought against him by the Higher State Prosecutor's Office regarding a disputed speech at the celebration of 166 years since the Montenegrin victory in the battle against the Turks at Grahovac.
This stems from the answers that "Vijesti" received from the parliamentary parties.
In mid-June, during a speech marking the anniversary of the Battle of Grahovac, Kovačević said that "those who will not be like brothers, but look like Turks, will be treated like Turks". He said this while addressing "former rulers and their followers".
MPs from the Bosniak Party (BS) announced that they would vote for the abolition of immunity, while those from the Democratic People's Party (DNP) said they would not.
The BS stated that they are "principled when it comes to requests from the prosecution, which refer to the cancellation of immunity, for the purpose of conducting criminal proceedings".
Nikola Camaj from the Albanian Forum said that they have not yet discussed this topic within the coalition, but that he "assumes that they will strive for consensus within the majority".
"Vijesti" did not receive a comment on this topic from the Europe Now Movement (PES), the Democrats, the Citizens' Movement URA, the Socialist People's Party, and the United Montenegro (UCG).
At yesterday's PES press conference, they did not give a direct answer to the journalists' question regarding this topic. Jelena Nedović, MP of that party and president of the Administrative Committee, which should first consider the prosecution's request, said that "the majority will decide", as she said, at the session scheduled for October. There is no announcement of that session on the website of the Assembly.
On the other hand, the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) and the Social Democrats announced a vote to lift Kovačević's immunity.
"Unlike our colleagues from the parliamentary majority, we have always looked at the issue in principle. "We have never been an obstacle to conducting criminal proceedings against any MP, even when it concerned the removal of the immunity of MPs from our club," the DPS told "Vijesta".
The Social Democrats replied that "in such cases, there is absolutely no need for someone to hide behind parliamentary immunity. "We had the same attitude before, regardless of whether it was our political allies or rivals. Especially bearing in mind that colleague Kovačević sent very serious threats to a part of the population of Montenegro, we believe that the competent court instance is an adequate place where this situation should have its final epilogue".
No answers came from Kovačević's party either, but "Vijesti" forwarded his statement to the Nikšić Radio Television portal.
"I'm sorry that they tried to drag today's Turkey and the Turkish people into the entire media story about this, with whom Montenegro, the Parliament of Montenegro and the Municipality of Nikšić have excellent relations," he said.
Kovačević added that he hopes that things will improve, that "if we can't be brothers, then we have normal cooperation and communication internally like we have with official Turkey".
"It is interesting that the prosecutor's office is not up-to-date on the daily, constant and direct hate speech against the Serbian people and the SPC that comes into the public spectrum from various sides and without any apology, and that all sorts of intentions are easily loaded into what I say under media pressure from those who they cause national hatred every day", announced Kovačević.
If all the opposition parties, except UCG, would vote for the cancellation of Kovačević's immunity, in addition to the six BS parliamentarians, they would need eight more from the government. Even if they are supported by the Albanian parties, it is still necessary that they get the support of the Democrats or PES for this initiative.
Senior State Prosecutor Ana Kalezić, she requested the lifting of Kovačević's immunity in a letter dated September 17, which was received in the Parliament on September 24.
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