If the prime minister Milojko Spajic (Movement Europe Now) offers the parliamentary parties to sign "Barometar 26", a platform on joint obligations for ending negotiations with the EU, that document will not be initialed by all the constituents of his government.
This stems from the answers of some of those political actors, who were asked by "Vijesti", among other things, whether they would sign the presented platform, and what is its purpose if part of its content, i.e. most of it, is already in the coalition agreement of the members of the Government. It advocates support for EU integration, strengthening of regional cooperation, lack of support for acts that introduce tensions in society...
Representative of the Albanian Forum and Minister of Public Administration Marash Dukaj he told the newspaper that the coalition was familiar with the contents of "Barometer 26", but that it would never sign "any document that would violate the principles and principles of the agreement on the formation of the 44th Government, that is, those who did not respect those principles would be absolved".
"Not because we have something against anyone, but because a political group has shown that for them a signature and a word mean nothing," he said.
Dukaj thereby alluded to partners from the executive branch - the alliance "For the Future of Montenegro", i.e. the former Democratic Front (DF), with which the Albanian Forum has been openly "at war" for a month and a half, and one of whose leaders and head of the Assembly Andrija Mandić accused of spreading hatred.
After being one of the leaders of the Albanian Forum and Deputy Prime Minister in October Nick Djelosaj stated that the changes to the Law on Citizenship, which the former DF is advocating, would be met with a "fierce response", this coalition replied to him with the words that, "if he continues to threaten", he may "be kicked out of the Government". Đeljošaj addressed the answer Mandić, saying that he has a "problem with fraudsters who refer to nationalism", telling him: "This is your last warning".
There was also verbal exchange in recent days, after Mandić announced that he was doing everything for the government to return "innocently imprisoned citizens of Montenegro and members of our army to their homes and families", who were recently arrested in Kosovo because they had inscription - "Kosovo is Serbia". He previously assessed that the move by the Kosovo authorities was not correct.
"Imagine now that in Montenegro, on the coast, in Ulcinj or in Tuzi, we start treating all those who show the symbolism of 'great Albania' in a similar way, and everyone who shows a double-headed eagle... let's start to do what the Pristina administration is doing", he stated.
The Albanian Forum reacted, announcing that Mandić was "inciting chauvinism" and calling "for the arrest of all Albanians".
Dukaj told "Vijesta" that the Albanian Forum not only respects efforts to speed up Montenegro's path to the EU, but that it is one of the "fundamental principles" of their policy.
"This is, in fact, our goal, which, along with peace, stability and democratic and economic development, has no alternative... Our political subject has always supported and will always advocate for everything that is in line with these principles. We will imitate European values, not only with words, but also with actions, and, of course, the integration of Montenegro into the EU - whether it is written in a document or not, whether we are in power or in the opposition", he stated.
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Prime Minister Spajić presented "Barometer 26" at the end of November, with the aim of affirming, as the document says, "the joint obligation of key parliamentary political actors in Montenegro to cooperate with the aim of successfully concluding negotiations on EU accession by the end of 2026".
The platform, which has less than two pages, lists four "basic principles" that should lead to the proclaimed foreign policy goal. Although "Barometer 26" was not offered to anyone for signature, it states that all the signatories undertake to support the fulfillment of obligations from the "European agenda", to promote a "political atmosphere of dialogue, cooperation and compromise", to leave behind "polarizing issues" ("identity topics and other issues that may cause ethnic or religious tensions or destabilize the national security of Montenegro") to a "special mechanism for resolving these issues", which includes working groups, as well as parliamentary committees where the given topics will be treated with the expert support of the academic community, and to promote regional cooperation and refrain from actions that could damage good neighborly relations or relations with EU members.
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The day before yesterday, Spajić, in a meeting with representatives of the Albanian Forum and his Movement Europe Now (PES), started consultations with parliamentary parties about the platform, which will continue today. The government did not answer "Vijesti" whether it will offer the document to political actors for signing, if it will - when, if not - why, and what is the meaning of "Barometer 26" if part of that platform is in the coalition agreement. The Government unofficially told List that the plan is for the Prime Minister to complete the consultations in the next few days, and then it will be known whether it will be offered to the parties for signature.
In order to initial the document, "Vijesta" announced only the Democrats from the parties of the ruling majority (not counting Spajić's PES, from which it is expected). MP and general secretary of that party Boris Bogdanovic, told the paper that he believes that Spajić will offer everyone to sign "Barometra 26" after the consultation is over. He says that the platform is absolutely acceptable to them.
"For our party, which is deeply committed to European values, there is no higher priority than accelerating European integration. We expect the government to adopt the final text of the platform already on Thursday, which will allow us to take another key step towards the EU together," he said.
When asked what the purpose of the platform is if it is already in the coalition agreement, he answered that its purpose "is not only an internal agreement, but the unification of the whole society".
"... 'Barometer 26' aims to bring together all political, social and institutional forces, in order to jointly realize the European dream of generations of Montenegrin citizens. The European future is a goal that transcends all political agreements and divisions," he added.
The constituents of the former DF, the New Serbian Democracy (NSD) Andrija Mandić and the Democratic People's Party did not answer the questions of "Vijesti" Milan Knežević. Member of the NSD Dejan Djurovic, told Radio Television of Montenegro (RTCG) a few days ago that this party will support the document.
"National unity is something that will be an obligation for all of us. This is part of what you can see in the agreement of the parliamentary majority, which is that at this moment we will not have a dispute about the differences that are between us, but we will focus on what is positive", he claims.
Support for "Barometer 26" was previously announced by the Socialist People's Party, of which he is the head Vladimir Jokovic said that the document was acceptable to them and that Montenegro "needs reconciliation".
Representative of the Albanian Alliance and Minister of Human and Minority Rights Fatmir Đeka, he said, answering the questions of "Vijesti", that he is first waiting to see what Spajić will propose and say at the consultations scheduled for today, and then his coalition will decide on the platform.
When it comes to the opposition, the support for the platform is announced by the Citizens' Movement (GP) URA, although they claim that it is "an admission by the Government and the parliamentary majority that they daily violate their own agreement on the formation of the Government".
"If they had adhered to what they had already signed, 'Barometer 26' would not be needed... Every initiative that directs Montenegro towards the EU will have the support of GP URA, as it has until now. But these are questions for Andrija Mandić, Milojko Spajić and others Aleks Bečić (Democrats) - will they adhere to what they sign a certain second time, when they didn't the first time", said the URA GP MP to "Vijesta" Ana Novaković Đurović.
The European Union replied to the newspaper that they did not officially receive the platform, recalling that they recently assessed that the document serves to "save the prime minister from his coalition partners".
The DPS did not respond to the questions of "Vijesti", but unofficially said that they will not make statements before consultations with Spajić. Previously, the deputy and vice-president of the strongest opposition party told RTCG that "it is pointless to ask a party that has always advocated for European integration to commit itself" to something by signing.
Bajramspahić: Spajić's admission that he cannot deal with partners
Citizen activist Dina Bajramspahić told "Vijesta" that she fears that "Barometar 26" has already lost all credibility. Even if all social actors signed it, their actions, he says, show every day that they have no intention of adhering to the spirit and content of the text of the initiative.
"On the contrary, bombastic nationalist statements and harsh rhetoric show that there are no limits to irresponsibility, and that many parties are ready for society to pay a high price for their stupidity," she says.
The interlocutor states that not only is nothing being done to achieve social unity, as is declaratively claimed, but, she says, national conflicts are being consciously fueled. Examples, he adds, can no longer be counted, and the Government is "completely incapable of creating an environment in which the violation of social cohesion, equality and equality of all citizens would be met with general condemnation."
"For days, outbursts of religious and national intolerance were rampant in Bijelo Polje, the government did not react. Nationalist messages and attacks also followed the game in Berane - in the government, they take over all the privileges of the government, but no responsibility. Infantile turning a blind eye to problems and waiting for them to disappear on their own is a characteristic of immature political structures, incapable of dealing with the complex problems of this society", notes Bajramspahić.
She states that all members of the executive power are complicit in what "Barometer 26" is allegedly against, and because of that, she assesses, that document no longer has credibility, nor the capacity to initiate "good social energy and mutual trust."
"This initiative is an acknowledgment by its creators that they cannot deal with their coalition partners, and this problem will remain in force as long as this government is in office," says Bajramspahić.
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