Vojinović: Lazarević ordered the removal of icons from the ship "Jadran" during the Croatian minister's visit

"This kind of behavior is not only professionally problematic, it deeply compromises the reputation of the Chief of General Staff of the Army of Montenegro and calls into question his commitment to preserving tradition and respecting religious freedom," says the Democratic MP.

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Photo: Parliament of Montenegro/Igor Šljivančanin
Photo: Parliament of Montenegro/Igor Šljivančanin
Disclaimer: The translations are mostly done through AI translator and might not be 100% accurate.

Anđela Vojinović, a member of parliament from the Democrats, said that they learned that the Chief of Staff of the Montenegrin Army, Brigadier General Zoran Lazarević, during a visit by Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman to the training ship "Jadran", ordered the removal of icons that had been "gifted to the ship by various officials for decades."

"Is it possible that in a country where religious rights and freedoms are guaranteed by the Constitution, we have a military official in the highest position who removes religious symbols, symbolic gifts that represent part of our historical heritage? Is it possible that the politics of a small group manifests itself by removing these valuable symbols, regardless of their cultural, religious and historical significance? Such behavior is not only professionally problematic, it deeply compromises the reputation of the Chief of the General Staff of the Army of Montenegro and calls into question his commitment to preserving tradition and respecting religious freedoms," she said.

He says it is "additionally concerning" that "this behavior is not an isolated case."

"For months, verified information has been circulating about abuses of official position by General Lazarević, including the use of military resources for personal purposes, such as the smuggling of his private motorcycle. Montenegro needs an Army that will serve the interests of the state and its citizens, not the personal ambitions of individuals. It is time for responsibility and a decisive line to be drawn between those who serve the state and those who use the system for personal and political gain. Let us restore trust in institutions and show that no one is above the law," the Democratic MP said.

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