The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development, Nik Đeljošaj, strongly rejected initiatives to change the Law on Citizenship, to allow dual citizenship, and warned that this would mean changing the national structure of Montenegro, which, he said, would be met with a fierce response.
The representatives of the Coalition for the Future of Montenegro (former Democratic Front), which is part of the ruling majority, advocate for changes to the law, and the initiative was supported by Prime Minister Milojko Spajić.
Đeljošaj, who is also the president of the Albanian Alternative, said in an interview for the Voice of America that the Constitution will not be changed in order to introduce the Serbian language as an official language, which the leaders of the former Democratic Front also insist on.
Speaking about the red lines for his party's participation in the government, he said that these would be decisions that are not in line with the policies of the European Union and the United States, but also emphasized that an environment is currently being created in Montenegro that could also be a "red line". . He did not rule out the possibility of a new reconstruction of the government or a "new deal".
Đeljošaj led a delegation of the Montenegrin government in Washington in the previous days, which signed a memorandum on strengthening economic cooperation with officials in the State Department.
In an interview with the Voice of America, he said that he it is important that none of the decisions made by the Government of Montenegro was in contradiction with the foreign policy of Montenegro, harmonized with the European Union and its partners, the United States of America.
"Now, were there a lot of statements? Yes. Were there a lot of announcements that something would be done? There were. But we cannot object to the decisions, so we are satisfied in that part. Are we satisfied with the environment that is being created that is not what Montenegro needs. This government has made great strides in European integration. I am aware that we are a minority party consciously, for one goal, which is to open the way to the EU. But legitimacy always has its own red line," said Đeljošaj.
When asked what the red lines are, he answered:
"First of all, let me be fair to my colleagues with whom we work in the Government and emphasize that we function collegially. We have good communication, we try to meet the needs of each department collegially, regardless of our big differences that emerge perhaps more in the Assembly or in the presentation positions on issues that may not be directly related to the Government itself. We will not hide our positions, we see that neither do our partners, but I always hope that the decisions of the Government of Montenegro, the State of Montenegro, will remain in the line in which they should be, and that is compliance with the EU and the US".
When asked again what the red lines are, he says:
"The red lines are the decisions of the Government of Montenegro that are not aligned with the foreign and security policy of the European Union, which will not be fully aligned with, for me, the most important partner - the United States of America. We consider ourselves a guardian to prevent that from happening, but these are our red lines. Of course, the environment that I mentioned can be a red line at some point. Because every day we, as persons leading some institutions, send messages as if we are party activists... I am the vice-president of the government. I can be the president of any political party, but I should behave in accordance with the politics of the country of Montenegro only now part of the government. But this is something that we point out at every meeting and that can be problematic at some point in cooperation if these (statements) are not stopped. Our public appearances create a perception in the public, some messages are sent somewhere then they accept. That environment in society is not good, because Montenegro is a civil state. And it should remain only as a civil one. Where everyone is happy and where everyone will work together, regardless of nationality, religion. And that we move towards being the next member of the EU".
Voice of America: During a meeting with the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Balkans, Aleksandar Kasanoff, you warned of "potentially destabilizing activities of clero-nationalist structures whose aim is to undermine the European perspective of Montenegro." What structures and activities did you specifically mean?
"We are aware of our political differences. Our policy is clear and what we represent in the majority in the government is this civil, European and pro-American policy. We offered a hand of cooperation to structures that were not on that policy line, not so that we would change and continue some other policy, but let's find a model for this other side to adapt to what the majority of Montenegro wants. Is there any intention that they can threaten the path to the EU, at the moment I don't think they can, because the majority of Montenegro wants to go to the EU. And I think we have the strength and capacity to defend that path. I think that what has been done for Montenegro to become the next member of the EU in the last ten years or more, and what has been done when it comes to membership in NATO, we must not endanger it, and we will and I will always share our concerns with our partners, who have helped us the most along the way - and that is certainly the USA, to discuss all the challenges so that we can try to solve all the obstacles on our way tomorrow. One moment is very important now, and that is the intergovernmental commission in December, where I believe we will close four chapters, where the ministry that I lead, my colleague (Maraš) Dukaj and Ervin Ibrahimović, made a key contribution together with the Minister of European Affairs and the Prime Minister, to come until meeting the conditions for closing the chapter. And I think that then it will be a moment to see with our partners if we are ready in such a team to continue even more strongly towards meeting EU standards or if we need to strengthen that team with more structures that are more clearly expressed according to European values".
VOA: Just to clarify a little bit. The structures that you criticized, are you referring to the members of the coalition "For the Future of Montenegro"? And with which structures would you strengthen the pro-European orientation of the government? Who do you see as possible partners?
"Almost 80 percent of the citizens of Montenegro want it to be the next member of the European Union. This is a huge support, where we cannot and will not allow structures that have less support to jeopardize that path. The biggest problem on our path and with our partners can be these structures that we mention, where we have diametrically different views, especially on foreign policy. That is a big difference and there is no need to repeat it. On the other hand, in those 80 percent of citizens who want to go to the EU, there is that strength that can always be replaced in order to complete that process as these citizens expect, and as our partners expect, and which is the only possible way for Montenegro".
Voice of America: And those new structures, do you intend to introduce them through some new government reconstruction or new elections?
"We did the reconstruction differently from the agreement. According to the agreement, the reconstruction was supposed to happen now or in November. According to the agreement, the Democratic Front was to get involved. In that premature reconstruction, as I call it, the Bosniak Party also got involved, and not only DF as was foreseen by that famous agreement which I say no longer exists for me. We are only programmatically there with the prime minister in our European journey and now there can always be reconstruction or new agreements. That maybe partners who do not respect what they are signed, to come back to respect it. But the most important thing is what the citizens want. And I think that we should align with that and work to ensure that there is as much support as possible for European integration. ".
Voice of America: In Montenegro, the results of the census were published, after which part of the ruling coalition, led by Parliament Speaker Andrija Mandić, insists that the Serbian language be introduced as an official language. In an interview, Mandić went one step further and said that he would demand that the percentage of Serbs in the public services, police and army be as it was in the census. How do you comment on that?
"I think it's humiliating for those he represents. I honestly didn't comment before the census or after the census. For me, it's humiliating to tell someone how to declare himself. Then even more so afterwards to comment on how someone declares himself. These are big differences and it's two worlds. I don't know how to handle that world and I don't know how to comment. Montenegro is a democratic country, it has the right to its own thinking, to its own feeling... Montenegro has completed a process, very successfully and without tensions, we just had some structures that got involved and taught someone who was what. That was below some level of involvement. So I see this part as just a continuation of that folklore.
Dreams are good, let them dream. Montenegro has its own Constitution, very well organized and European. Tends towards the EU. Changes to the Constitution, in matters that define statehood and its concept, I think are defined in such a way that they are not realistic to happen. I think that this initiative will also remain an empty story, statements. There will be no major changes. And those things are the most harmful to the people for whom someone stands up. And that's about representation and employment, to target people, and not to have professionalism, knowledge, experience... Maybe you're in the opposition and you're trying something, but these are the people who are now in power and talk with the same jargon as the opposition , maybe even stronger, that is incomprehensible to me. And those structures do not have any support from the citizens. I did a little analysis of the elections in Podgorica and if we look at the total electorate, registered, who have the opportunity to vote, they are about ten percent. Half of it didn't even come out. It is not some kind of support that can pull such big changes that are mentioned. I see it only as attempts to say something".
Voice of America: In addition to that initiative, there are those to amend the citizenship law to allow dual citizenship, then to adopt a law on foreign agents modeled on the Russian one. To what extent do these initiatives deepen the existing divisions in Montenegro, and considering that they come from part of the ruling majority, will they lead you to reconsider your participation in the government?
"I will be clear. I think these are things that cannot be seen, but they are moves to slow down Montenegro's European path. And the time when the law on foreign agencies was announced. And some other statements about some processes that have gone too far I don't think it will work. I repeat, 80 percent of the citizens are in favor of the European Union. When it comes to the citizenship law, I did not react, because Mr. Mandić mentioned and Albanians several times. I thought he would stop. And then I told him there was no need to worry about it.
That he does not include in his projects that would mean a change in the national structure of a country. That we don't want to participate in that. If Albanians are citizens of Montenegro, they perceive it as their country. They work in Montenegro, they give their contribution and we will never support projects that contradict the resolutions of the United Nations to change the national structure of a country. And not only is it a red line, but it is a line that would lead to a great separation in Montenegro, if someone started to do it. And of course, not only with me, but in the political subject, the people to which I belong, I would have a fierce response, if the citizenship law, which has only one goal, is to change the national structure of Montenegro. Montenegro has survived as it is, we have results and we are moving on. We will be on the defensive to defend it, in whatever way it takes."
Asked if the outcome of the election results in the USA could in any way affect the economic cooperation of the two countries and their overall relations, Đeljošaj said that politicians in Montenegro and everywhere are transitory.
"States and their friendships and alliances survive. I think that will be the case between Montenegro and the USA. We are allies in NATO, friends, partners, and we will continue to do so regardless of who is in leadership positions in Montenegro and the USA".
Voice of America: When it comes to the economic situation in Montenegro, we know that salaries are increasing. The World Bank has recently announced that this will likely have a milder impact on inflation. Can the citizens, despite the salary increase, tolerate a mild increase in inflation, especially bearing in mind that Montenegro, along with Serbia - according to the World Bank report, was above the regional average in terms of the inflation rate until July?
"By the end of the month, we expect increased wages for our citizens under the Europe now 2 program. Knowing when it was coming, we reacted in time, through the price limitation program that started at the beginning of September. We already have the first analyzes done by Monstat that inflation in September was the lowest in the last two or three years. We expect the same in October and we have limited the action until January 31st, not by chance but by plan, so that several months will pass until the implementation of higher salaries. So we will monitor the events on the market and Monstat's reports every month. To begin with, we are satisfied with the inputs from September. We expect that we will be able to maintain the level of inflation so that the citizens will not feel that the increase in wages will lead to a better standard. And that inflation will not threaten that increase.
Voice of America: The rate of inflation is one issue, while another issue is the factual situation in stores where prices are still high. Is the increase in earnings enough to offset the increase in costs that have increased in previous years and are currently high?
"These were global trends, where Montenegro does not have a sufficiently developed economy to be immune to inflation not being imported. We depend a lot on imports, so we cannot control that part to a large extent, but we only follow trends and have measures at our disposal, such as which was the price limiting action, where we stopped price growth and inflation, we will continue to monitor the situation in the coming months, and I expect that price growth will not threaten the rise in wages, because we are at least until On January 31, we limited everything, so if there is a need, we will continue this action".
Voice of America: Can we expect some prices to drop?
"We limited the margins. The report from September is that some prices fell, especially the food industry, by minus 1,7 percent. We will monitor it in the coming months. I will repeat that Montenegro is very limited on imports, so as far as prices are concerned, we have this possibility of limiting margins, and not so much the ability to influence the prices and production capacities they have in other countries for the goods we import".
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