Social Democrat (SD) MP Nikola Zirojević said that Foreign Minister Ervin Ibrahimović is "only putting out fires lit by his coalition partners."
He made this statement at today's meeting of the Committee on International Relations and Emigrants, where MPs are discussing the report on the work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for 2024, as well as the formation of a friendship group with Spain.
Ibrahimović said that there is a high chance that the negotiation processes will be completed by the end of next year, and that Montenegro will become a member of the European Union (EU) in 2028.
As he pointed out, all planned activities were implemented in accordance with the work plan for 2024.
"During 2024, special attention is paid to harmonizing visa policy with EU policy," he said.
He added that Montenegro acts as a "reliable member of NATO and actively contributes to the formation of common positions of that alliance."
"In December 2024, the first Regional Cyber Capability Center in the Western Balkans was opened, thanks to the cooperation of Montenegro, Slovenia and France," he reminded.
Ibrahimović pointed out that seven ambassadors were appointed last year, but that there are still a large number of unfilled positions.
Zirojević said that the Foreign Minister is "putting out the fires lit by his coalition partners."
"I noticed this at the 2BS forum in Budva, when you tried to put out the fire that your coalition partners are lighting in good neighborly relations with Croatia. I will also remind you of how the visit to Morinj went, when we had statements from Croatian officials that representatives of the Ministry of Defense behaved inappropriately, that they banned photography and the like. I hold many things against you, but I do not doubt your European commitment. I think that it will be even more difficult for you on that path, as we get closer to the EU," he said.
Zirojević asked Ibrahimović how he sees the further development of relations with Croatia, including the problems surrounding the ship "Jadran", but also how he expects five chapters to be closed by the end of the year, and 21 next year, how he will resolve the situation regarding Chapter 27 and whether the construction of a collector in Zeta is inevitable, whether the abolition of the visa-free regime also applies to Turkish citizens, and what Montenegro's attitude is towards the war in Gaza and the departure of Montenegrin officials to Israel.
The minister replied that he would not accept the job, that he did not believe in what he was doing.
"Two or three days ago, Radovan Karadzic's award was taken away at the initiative of a Bosniak Party councilor... However, good is forgotten, and bad is promoted," he pointed out.
He added that his Croatian counterpart Gordan Grlić Radman called him today and thanked him for the reception, but also that by forming a commission they are working on resolving the issue surrounding "Jadran".
"It is thankless to quote about chapters, but we need to maintain the momentum. I believe that we are close to closing three, four, and maybe even five chapters. You know that two or three are ready, that Chapter 31 is ready, and I hope that our friends from Croatia will recognize what we are doing and maybe one of those chapters will be 31. This is very important to me, because I believe that in this way Croatia will show that it is not only with Montenegro, but also with other countries of the Western Balkans," he said.
Responding to a question about Botun, he said that he was not the one in charge, but that he hoped that all decision-makers would find a solution to resolve the issue.
"It is important to me that the strongest party, the prime minister's party, has shown that it wants this issue resolved," he said.
Speaking about the visa regime, Ibrahimović recalled that Montenegro has unequivocally shown its commitment to the European path, but that this must be done in a way that does not endanger the economy, because Montenegro is a tourist country.
"I believe that our commitment will be recognized by our partners, but that they will allow us a period without coordination, because they need a strong state," he said.
Speaking about Gaza, he said that "the question of whether one wants to go to Israel is a question of each person's responsibility."
"I cannot believe that someone can abolish someone who is causing a humanitarian disaster. We should view the Gaza issue as France and Saudi Arabia, and Montenegro has stood by them. We welcome the initiative of our friendly country, the USA, which has contributed to peace," he said.
Zirojević said that there was a proposal from the parliamentary majority that "Grlić Radman should return swimmingly", but added that the decision to revoke the award from Radovan Karadžić in the Bijelo Polje Municipal Assembly was made with the votes of the opposition parties at the state level, and that the Democrats and the Europe Now Movement (PES) were against. He also pointed out that one PES councilor was absent.
PES MP Branka Marković pointed out that he was mentioning her colleague who was not here, and that she would get a response from her when the plenum begins, and that Zirojević is a "specialist in attacks on women."
The SD MP said that he was being "targeted" with the narrative that he was against women in politics, and that it was "a recipe used by incompetent women" due to their inability to answer him with arguments, after which there was a commotion that led to a break.
Chairman Duško Stjepović (Democrats) said that if harsh words were repeated, he would adjourn the session.
"As a minister, I will fight to get to the truth"
Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) parliamentarian Nikola Janović said that there is an impression that some EU members want Montenegro to become a member of the Union more than some politicians in Montenegro.
New Serbian Democracy (NSD) MP Velimir Đoković asked Ibrahimović whether other members of the Government and the Speaker of Parliament Andrija Mandić had contributed to Montenegro's EU integration, and added that, after Mandić, Milan Knežević and Aleksa Bečić were declared persona non grata, the Speaker of the Parliament called on his Croatian colleagues to resolve the issue through talks.
"What is your opinion on a plaque at the Lora camp with the names of those killed? It should be remembered that no one was killed in Morinje, but in Lora they were," he said.
He added that he and everyone want the situation in Gaza to be resolved as soon as possible, and he also referred to the revocation of Karadzic's award, emphasizing that this is not the jurisdiction of the local parliament.
Ibrahimović said that Montenegro is also working towards resolving the issue of Lora, and that the Montenegrin prosecutor's office is exchanging information with the Croatian one.
"As a minister, I will fight to get to the truth and punish every perpetrator, but I must point out that the politics of the 1990s led us to talk about this," he said.
Vuković Kuč: Montenegro is pursuing a dual foreign policy
Aleksandra Vuković Kuč (DPS) said that Montenegro is pursuing a dual foreign policy - a formal one led by Ibrahimović and a substantive one, which is conducted on the ground, and that therefore she will not support the report.
She added that Ibrahimović must use "all the achievements he gained in his previous political engagement, while he was with DPS."
"I think we need to take the situation more seriously, because we can fill some chapters and put ourselves in the position of clowns who promise to elect judges to the Constitutional Court before Ursula von der Leyen's visit," she said.
Vuković Kuč told Ibrahimović that "we need to see what kind of country it is in which the president of the High Court says that under media and political pressure, few people can and are allowed to release someone from detention, in which MPs are calling for an extension of detention from three to five years, and how is it that there are arrests without any final epilogues or verdicts."
Djokovic pointed out that, while he was Mandić's chief of staff, he witnessed many meetings between the head of parliament and foreign delegations, and that he could not be an obstacle to EU integration.
Ibrahimović pointed out that Montenegro would not have received a positive IBAR if it had not been worked on.
Abaz Dizdarević (DPS) recalled the disagreement of the ruling majority on the issue of Kosovo in the Council of Europe.
Ibrahmović pointed out that "Bosniaks in Sarajevo guarded other places of worship, while this was not the case with others."
Stjepović pointed out that "diplomacy must have greater support."
Speaking about the arrest of Predrag Bošković, he said that it was known that it would happen, and that it was possible that it would happen during the DPS government.
"The sooner they give up on them, the better it will be for them. Both for them and for the party," he told DPS deputies.
He assessed that Grlić Radman's sentences were "undiplomatic".
"All the fires with Croatia were not lit by Duško Stjepović, Aleksa Bečić... who we had from three to seven years," he said.
Zirojević pointed out that the monument to Chetnik commander Pavle Đurišić "walks from church to church, from monastery to monastery."
Vuković Kuč announced that the police are arresting the comedian "Radosava Vrbica" for criticizing the authorities.
With five votes in favor and two abstentions, the Report on the Work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for 2024 was adopted.
The second point, the establishment of a Parliamentary Friendship Group with Spain, was adopted unanimously.
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