Koprivica: Serbs from Montenegro are not anyone's exponents, but descendants of people who defended its freedom

Serbs from Montenegro are not anyone's exponents, but descendants of people who defended its freedom, said Deputy Prime Minister and Democrat Momo Koprivica.

"Serbian tradition and European future are not mutually exclusive and are not in conflict, because Europe is a rich mosaic, not a simple uniform. Serbianness in Montenegro is not an import from Serbia, but a historical and indigenous identity. It is not a shadow of World War II, but the light of centuries. Serbs from Montenegro are not anyone's exponents, but descendants of people who defended its freedom. Serbian identity in Montenegro is not the opposite of European values, but is part of the European cultural circle, shaped through centuries of spirituality, literature, philosophy and resistance to tyranny," Koprivica wrote on Iks.

He said that European integration does not seek the erasure of any identity, but a society based on the rule of law, tolerance and pluralism. Joining the EU does not mean renouncing identity, nor is national identity the monopoly of any policy, party or politician, he said.

"Equating Serbian identity with 'militancy', 'right-wing' or 'Vučić's projects' means taking away the dignity of thousands of Montenegrin citizens who are Serbs, while at the same time advocating for the rule of law, the EU and multiethnic harmony," said Koprivica.

He said that a "true European Montenegro" must be a space in which national diversity is a strength, not a flaw or an obstacle, and that the European idea "is not an idea of ​​cultural sterility, but of pluralism, in language, in religion, and in identity."

Koprivica also said that Serbness in Montenegro is deeply rooted in its being and history, that throughout the centuries it has been the bearer of the spirit of freedom, state-building thought, legal tradition and cultural creativity, and that it does not negate anyone, but only seeks freedom from negation.

"Serbs from Montenegro have recently made an indelible contribution to the spiritual and cultural vertical and have been appreciated by Europe. Borislav Pekić, Petar Lubarda, Branimir Šćepanović, Patriarch Gavrilo, Metropolitan Amfilohije. These are our true monuments: living, universal, uplifting," he said.