Defense Minister Dragan Krapović told the President of Montenegro that he is "responsible to the Government of Montenegro, i.e. the Prime Minister" who proposed him and to the Parliament of Montenegro which elected him.
"President Milatović, attempts to abuse the Defense and Security Council in order to 'discipline' ministers who do not respond to you politically are not only legally unfounded, but also dangerous for democratic processes in our country," Krapović said in his response.
This is how he responded to Milatović, who announced that at tomorrow's session of the Council for Security and Defense, he will request that the chief of the General Staff of the Army of Montenegro, Zoran Lazarević, be given back all his powers.
Krapović also said that Mialtović shows a "worrying lack of knowledge of basic legal regulations in the field of defense and functioning of the Army of Montenegro".
"According to Article 38 of the Law on the Army of Montenegro, the competencies of the Minister of Defense are clearly defined, while the competencies of the Chief of the General Staff are specified in Article 40 of the same law, according to which the Chief is responsible to the Minister of Defense. Also, Article 39 of the Law on the Army of Montenegro unequivocally treats the General Staff as joint headquarters within the Ministry of Defense, which clearly established a hierarchical structure. Internal procedures of the Ministry of Defense additionally regulate all operational activities, including the obligation to approve all work plans by the Minister of Defense, whether they come from organizational units of the Ministry or the Army," said Krapović.
All responsible persons, he added, including the Chief of the General Staff, are directly subordinated to the Minister of Defense and responsible for the implementation of those plans.
"As for the Council for Defense and Security, I think it is necessary to point out that the Constitution of Montenegro and the relevant laws clearly limit the powers of this body. The Council does not have the authority to issue any orders to the Minister of Defense, nor to interfere in the operational issues of the Army. As a minister defense, I am responsible to the Government of Montenegro, that is, to the Prime Minister who nominated me and to the Parliament of Montenegro, which elected me. not only are they legally unfounded, but they are also dangerous for democratic processes in our country," said Krapović.
He points out that during the performance of his duties as Minister of Defense, "I did not go beyond the legal framework of my powers" by any action. He added that the reform of the Army is a complex process that requires determination and professionalism, not political manipulation.
"Finally, politically, I am telling you: do not play with the interests of Montenegro and do not joke with the citizens of Montenegro. The claim that you are known 'as a man who does not change his views' today sounds like irony. In the past year, you have shown an incredible transformation from a fierce critic of the former regime to its most reliable ally. Your inconsistency clearly shows that political advantage is above principle. I appeal to you to take responsibility befitting the position you hold. Do not shy away from making key decisions with the obstruction of the necessary reforms in the Army and the security sector. Do not keep the party cadres of the former regime. The reform of the Army of Montenegro is of vital importance for the preservation of our national security and reputation on the international scene," concluded Krapović.
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