Pljevlja as a state within a state: New nationalist provocations by Dario Vraneš

New nationalistic outburst by the first man of Pljevlja Daria Vraneš (New Serbian Democracy), is a logical continuation of his nationalist and revisionist policies, marked, this time, by celebrating the occupation of Montenegro.

With these words, the interlocutors of "Vijesti" comment on Vraneš's latest message - that the Podgorica Assembly, which annexed Montenegro to Serbia in 1918, was legitimate, and that "Montenegrin separatists", despite "undoubted testimonies", dispute this, and that "it is up to us to defend the truth".

On Monday evening, at a ceremonial academy on the occasion of the "Unification Day of Montenegro and Serbia" and 107 years since the "Great Podgorica Assembly", Vraneš said that the legitimacy of that event is confirmed by "numerous telegrams and congratulations from international officials, including the then President of the United States of America."

In November 2018, the Montenegrin Parliament adopted a resolution declaring the decisions of the Podgorica Assembly null and void. The document assessed that the Podgorica Assembly was the instrument used to carry out a coup d'état in Montenegro.

Responding to the editorial staff's question whether the messages expressed during the academy show that Pljevlja is becoming a state within a state, Vraneš replied that "Pljevlja is not a state within a state" and that they respect all state institutions.

"Pljevlja is currently the freest city in Montenegro, where all peoples can freely celebrate all holidays from their history," he said.

Spiritual unification and the erasure of boundaries

At the ceremonial academy, organized by the Serbian National Council of Montenegro, the Serbian Cultural Center "Patriarch Varnava" and the non-governmental organization Bisernica, the leader of Pljevlja reflected on the historical events that preceded the events of 1918, assessing that "the Great National Assembly removed the hawthorn stake from the heart of Serbism", which, as he stated, was driven by Austro-Hungarian policy "with the consent of the great powers" at the Berlin Congress in 1878.

Vraneš said that the area where Pljevlja is located, after its liberation in 1912, first belonged to the Kingdom of Serbia, and that it was only incorporated into Montenegro at the end of 1913, which, he claims, was done without the majority support of “the population of both religions.” He said that “Unification Day” has been celebrated for the past 30 years as a response to policies that “sought to separate Serbia and Montenegro.”

"Only in this way, wisely and calmly, with truth as a guide, can we complete the spiritual unification of the Serbian people wherever they live. And when we complete such powerful and indestructible bridges, all borders will disappear by themselves," said Vranes.

He stated that numerous documents, letters and diplomatic notes of protest were confirmation that the people of Pljevlja, regardless of nationality and religion, “the vast majority aspired to annexation to Serbia.” Vranes ended his speech with the words: “Let it be amen. God willing. Next year in Prizren.”

On the occasion of the anniversary of the Podgorica Assembly, the Pljevlja Municipality building was illuminated in the colors of the Serbian tricolor.

Glorification of the conqueror and an anti-state act

Director of the Center for Investigative Reporting (CIN-CG), Milka Tadic Mijović She assessed for "Vijesti" that Vraneš's new moves were expected, and that he inherited "everything that is not a civic and libertarian anti-fascist Montenegro."

"He celebrates the invaders and chauvinists, and those who occupied our country in 1918, and it seems he would even storm Prizren. He can, but alone, not with our children. They are going to Europe, not after Vranes," she said.

Tadić Mijović said that it was clear "what these prisoners of dangerous ideology, to whom the Chetnik criminal (Paul) Đurišić hero".

"We saw what this ideology brought us not only during World War II, but also in the 1990s, when they stormed Dubrovnik and cleared the terrain of Bosnia from 'unchristians'. I hope that Montenegro has learned its lesson and that Vraneš and those like him will be just a short episode in this interregnum in which there is everything on the political scene...", she stated.

Pisac Nikola Nikolic He told the editorial staff that Vraneš's nationalist outbursts are a logical element of the bizarre nationalist and, "even worse", revisionist policies of the first man of Pljevlja.

"However, his revisionism is on shaky ground. The Podgorica Assembly is certainly one of the most heinous events in Montenegrin history. Its illegality and illegitimacy are undeniable historical and legal facts," Nikolić said.

He explained that the "capitulation of Montenegro" did not mean that its constitution ceased to be valid, especially in light of the fact that it found itself on the side of the victors in World War I.

"The Constitution of the Kingdom of Montenegro did not recognize any institution like the tendentiously fabricated Podgorica assembly, treacherously called the assembly. Finally, it should be recalled that seven years ago the Parliament of Montenegro adopted a resolution rejecting the decisions of the so-called Podgorica Assembly as null and void," Nikolić reminded.

The interlocutor said that therefore, glorifying the event that "perfidiously" erased the name of the old European state of Montenegro from the geopolitical map and from the language and consciousness of its citizens is an essentially immoral, self-defeating and anti-state act, "which should be treated as such by law."

PES and Democrats are silent

Vraneš's main coalition partners in the Pljevlja government - the Prime Minister's Europe Now Movement (PES) Milojko Spajić and Democratic Montenegro, Deputy Prime Minister Alekse Bečić - yesterday they did not answer the newspaper's questions about how they view the new nationalistic outbursts of the President of the Municipality of Pljevlja, and what else he needs to do to turn his back on him.

The ruling party in Pljevlja is the New Serbian Democracy, of which Vranes is an official, the Democratic People's Party, PES, the Democrats, the Socialist People's Party, and the Movement for Pljevlja.

Asked what else Vranes needs to do for his coalition partners to cancel their support, Nikola Nikolić replied: "Probably, for example, to officially declare the Independent Republic of Pljevlja - NPR."

"Joking aside - the greedy appetites of his coalition partners are so insatiable that any principledness, any even remotely conscientious political thought, easily disappears in them," he said.

Nikolić, answering the question of whether Vraneš's moves indicate that Pljevlja is increasingly becoming a state within a state, assessed that there is no doubt that the current Pljevlja government is showing certain "renegade tendencies."

"However, these are all cheap and farcical games. I see the impact on the civic climate there as a much greater harm from such a policy," he said.

Nikolić reminded that almost a fifth of Pljevlja is made up of members of the Islamic faith, and that the first man of that city prides himself on the Chetnik ideology, which left behind unimaginably horrific crimes against Muslims in that very area.

"This is another test that his coalition partners, supposedly civic-oriented, regularly fail, but even worse - that the rule of law fails, which does absolutely nothing to prevent or sanction such a clear demonstration of chauvinism," Nikolić concluded.

Numerous controversial moves

Vraneš often sends messages and takes actions that some in the public claim are contrary to the interests of Montenegro. Among other things, he proposed that the church holiday, St. Petka's Day, be celebrated as the municipality's day, and he marked Serbian Statehood Day with a ceremonial academy on February 15 last year in Pljevlja, which, as he said, he does not consider a denial of Montenegrin independence, but rather "the right of the Serbian people."

In August, the local government in Pljevlja changed the road signs in the city center, so instead of signs showing the distance from major world metropolises, they installed road signs written in Cyrillic with the distance from Belgrade, Banja Luka, Prizren, and Knin.

The Pljevlja PES then told him that they expected the Mayor to "follow the dynamics of his pro-European leadership (the coalition 'For the Future of Montenegro') on the path to accelerated EU membership."

"If it's easier for him, he can also use the signpost he installed, because it also includes a city that is already in the EU," they said.

Vraneš told Vijesti that he had ordered the change of the road sign. The mayor of Pljevlja responded to PES's messages on Instagram, saying that "he won't be able to sleep because of their threats."

Prime Minister Spajić's party has "threatened" Vraneš before. On December 23 last year, they announced that they would not support the local government if the leader of Pljevlja continued with the policies he was pursuing. The day before, Vraneš had posted a photo on Instagram with the song "Get ready, get ready, Chetniks." The photo also included his colleagues from the New Serbian Democracy, which is part of the government.

In June, the first man of Pljevlja opened the roundabout in Pljevlja by cutting a ribbon held by girls in Serbian folk costumes.

Vranes: Bridges named after King Alexander and King Peter I

Vraneš's statement yesterday to the "Pljevaljske novine" portal - that the bridges on the newly opened Mijakovići - Vrulja road were named after King Alexander and King Petar I Karađorđević - could also be called a provocation. As he stated, "the people themselves chose these names." However, there has not yet been an official decision on the naming of the bridges.

Vranes claims he was not invited to the opening ceremony of the new road. The road was opened on Monday by Prime Minister Spajic, Minister of Transport Maja Vukicevic and Director of the Transport Administration Radomir Vuksanovic.

When asked why he thought he had not received an invitation, Vranes told Vijesti that "neither the Municipality nor the Municipal Assembly (MA) of Pljevlja received an invitation to open the bridges from the Government protocol." He claims that Television Pljevlja was prohibited from attending the opening ceremony.

"That is the Government's attitude, primarily, towards the citizens of Pljevlja, the institutions of the Municipality and the Assembly, and the local broadcaster. I think the citizens of Pljevlja will give you the best answer to that question," said Vranes.

Minister of Transport Maja Vukićević told "Vijesti" that the Ministry of Transport did not organize a protocol.

"After the opening of the road, we met with Mr. Vraneš and Ms. (Jovana) Tošić (President of the Pljevlja Municipal Council) and talked about the numerous projects we are implementing in the territory of the municipality they manage. We have excellent relations with representatives of the Pljevlja Municipality, and in every visit organized by the Ministry of Transport, they were invited and attended, as evidenced by the photographs from the visit to the works," said Vukićević.

"Vijesti" expects answers from the Traffic Administration to the question of whether it is true that neither the Municipality nor the Municipal Assembly of Pljevlja received an invitation to attend the road opening.