PES believes that protests are a democratic achievement: "DPS supporters also have rights"

Although the MEPs of the Europe Now Movement (PES) Jelena Nedović i Miodrag Laković expressed conflicting views on the protests organized by the student group "Where Tomorrow?" after the tragedy in Cetinje, representatives of that political entity said they were pleased that today everyone can enjoy the full range of civil rights, regardless of whether or not they sympathize with the "totalitarian mechanisms of the former regime" of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS).

They said this in response to a question from "Vijesti" about the party's position on the protests, given the conflicting statements made by their MPs. Jelena Nedovic i Miodrag Lakovića.

On Sunday evening, Nedović appeared on the show "Sunday in the Rearview Mirror" on Television "Vijesti", said that this political entity shares the opinion of its coalition partners, the Democrats, that the protests are being orchestrated by a former high-ranking police official Zoran Lazovic who is currently in custody.

"Everyone has the right to express dissatisfaction, including the informal group 'Where Tomorrow?'," said Nedović.

She said that the protest organizers rejected the Prime Minister's invitation. Milojko Spajića for an interview and that the demands they presented at the protests in front of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP), apart from demanding resignations, are largely the conclusions of the National Security Council, which were made after the crimes of January 1 in Cetinje.

Following Nedović's statement, the informal student group "Where to Tomorrow?" demanded from all government officials evidence for the claims that structures of the former DPS regime were behind their protests, or to issue a public apology to the students "for endangering their safety and drawing targets."

Laković, on the other hand, said yesterday that he has understanding for all student protests.

"As a student in Belgrade, back in 1991, I participated in demonstrations against the regime." Slobodan Milosevic"It is possible that this is why I have strong sympathy and understanding for all student protests, because they are always a contribution to the democratic maturation of the next generation of decision-makers, as well as society as a whole," Laković wrote on the X network.

PES told "Vijesti" that they believe that protests, regardless of who organizes them, are a democratic achievement and that everyone has the right to them "as long as they are organized within the framework of respecting the constitutional order of Montenegro."

"The time when dissenters were targeted by the authorities, attacked by unidentified hooded figures and eavesdropped on by institutions they fund as taxpayers is part of the negative past of our society. PES is founded on the idea of ​​encouraging the democratic maturation of society," the strongest parliamentary party said.

The informal student group “Where to Tomorrow?” has so far organized two protests regarding the tragedy in Cetinje, in which a Cetinje resident died on January 1st. Aco Martinović killed 12 people, including two children, and wounded four, one of whom died on January 9 at the Clinical Center of Montenegro.

They are demanding the resignation of security sector leaders, a more streamlined approach to gun ownership, reform of police structures, the return of civic education as a mandatory subject in schools, and improved institutional access to mental health care.