The leader of the Civic Movement URA and former Prime Minister Dritan Abazović stated that Montenegro and its citizens cannot be held hostage by those who deny its statehood, nor by those for whom organized crime is an acceptable means of achieving political goals.
"We cannot build a country by glorifying people with a criminal background, just as we cannot glorify those who have been recognized by history as criminals. I do not believe that we should be hostages to those who deny the statehood of Montenegro, nor to people for whom murder, torture and organized crime are acceptable if they serve their political goals, organizations or for the purpose of gaining material gain," Abazović said in the author's podcast "Friday with Dritan", the GP URA statement reads.
Speaking about 19 years of independence and almost five years since the change of government, Abazović spoke about the messages that can be heard in the public on this occasion.
"The citizens of Montenegro want to lift the burden of organized crime off their backs - that is the only way for the country to move forward. If someone thinks that messages that divide us into two camps will achieve progress, I do not want that. Today I am sending a clear message - let's get back to ourselves. We need to build a modern democratic state that belongs to everyone, worthy of its name and future in the EU. Let's solve all existing anomalies together. Let's not constantly divide ourselves. This is the country of all citizens. Let's make Montenegro a modern state, worthy of its name, history and the future it needs to build in the EU," Abazović said.
He said that the decision on independence was made in a referendum - the only one in the world where the support of 55% of citizens was required for success - and that not all decisions of parliament can be reviewed today.
He also pointed out that he was aware of how the DPS (Democratic Party of Socialists) conducted the elections.
He added that the new government could have done more, saying that over the past 19 years, corruption and organized crime have accumulated, that the state has become overly indebted, and that there have been no major infrastructural advances.
"However, we must say that in the history of a nation, one of the most important points is precisely the completion of statehood," said Abazović.
Commenting on recent sessions of the parliamentary committees for defense and security and the Inquiry Committee for Unsolved Crimes, he reiterated that the government - due to a lack of political vision - has reopened issues from the past, although, as he says, he does not dispute the need to resolve these issues.
"For the first 45 days, there was no discussion at the Committee – because the elections in Nikšić had passed – and then Duško Marković appeared. Who would have thought that after 21 years, he would say: 'Yes, these are the ones who ordered the murder of Duško Jovanović, these are the financiers, this was under the seal of the state...'" added Abazović.
He assessed that Marković wanted to take action to do it sooner.
"Such actions only undermine the state parliament and delay the resolution of the murder of Duško Jovanović. The solution lies in the hands of the State Prosecutor's Office, which, in my opinion, possesses material that can be a good basis for progress in this case," he said, ironically asking why the new government does not summon Milo Đukanović before the Inquiry Committee.
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Abazović said that "criminal structures have found a new horse to ride, but what the DPS could not do, they are now being supplied by other parties in power."
"And we are amazed by the connections of Golubović, his uncle, Vlado Bojović," said Abazović.
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