The Ministry of Defense announced last night to "Vijesti" that the relevant services of that department and the Army of Montenegro (AVCG) were aware of the case of a recording showing a soldier singing verses dedicated to Chetnik commander Draža Mihailović - before the video was published in the media, and that they then (before the video appeared in public) initiated the "fact-finding" procedure.
The department headed by Dragan Krapović claims that the soldier who sang has been on sick leave for a long time, which he did not justify with remittances, and that therefore a procedure for termination of service has been initiated against him, while another member of the Armed Forces of Montenegro who appears in the recording has given a statement about this and a procedure has been initiated against him to determine responsibility.
"Measures will be taken against everyone in accordance with the law," the Ministry says, saying that different phenomena cannot always be equated in terms of severity, motive and consequences, but that the principle is the same: "The uniform of the Armed Forces of Montenegro must not be a space for glorifying any extremist ideology, grand state project, party activity, or for supporting individuals involved in serious and organized crime."
Several Montenegrin portals published a short clip (16 seconds) yesterday showing two soldiers, one of whom, with three fingers raised, sings: "From Topola, from Topola, to Ravna Gora/ all are guards, all are guards, General Draža."
After the announcement, there were heated reactions from a part of the public, who, among other things, stated that the uniform of the Armed Forces of Montenegro must not be misused for the revision of history.
The Ministry of Defense says that they and the Armed Forces of Montenegro are acting and will act in any case of inappropriate, political, ideological or other unacceptable behavior by soldiers. The ministry estimates that part of the public, certain media, non-governmental organizations and parties have previously kept such incidents quiet or downplayed them, because, it claims, dangerous behavior was acceptable to them when it came from circles politically close to them.
"It is particularly unacceptable that today the lessons are being given by those who employed, engaged, trained such personnel and, if necessary, made them actors in political life or part of the criminal milieu. That practice has ended. What happened during the previous regime will no longer happen: that people are punished for not belonging to the party, nor will those who glorify extremist ideologies, criminals, nationalist projects or any form of behavior that compromises the honor of the uniform be protected," the Ministry emphasizes.
The ministry claims that they and the Armed Forces of Montenegro do not discriminate in the application of the law in any case or individual. "There is no place in the Armed Forces of Montenegro for politicization, extremism, glorification of crime, nationalistic or ideological provocations. Every member of the Army is obliged to perform his service honorably, professionally, politically neutrally and in accordance with the Constitution and laws of Montenegro," the ministry says.
Reactions
The uniform of the Armed Forces of Montenegro must never be misused to promote hatred, historical revisionism or intimidate anyone, said yesterday, reacting to the release of the video, the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament and official of the Bosniak Party (BS) Mirsad Nurković.
He strongly condemned, as he stated, "not only the indecent scenes that have become public, but also the attempt to defile the uniform that must be a symbol of safety, security, and protection of the state and all its citizens."
"I am horrified by the messages that such recordings send, especially considering the fact that those who wear the uniform of the Armed Forces of Montenegro must honorably and proudly represent the state, its independence and civic character," Nurković said.
He said that he did not support the restoration of an independent Montenegro with either his heart or his words, only for its army and statehood to be shamed today by individuals who glorify the ideologies and policies responsible for the greatest suffering and persecution in this region.
"If someone thinks that by wearing a uniform and glorifying criminal ideologies they will scare the minority peoples in Montenegro, especially Bosniaks, then they must know that such messages do not cause fear among us, but additional determination to defend the dignity of the state and the values on which it is based," Nurković added.
He announced that he would seek full and clear accountability for all actors in that event, not only for the sake of sanctions, but also as a serious warning so that no one ever again thinks of "playing with such dangerous and deeply disturbing messages."
"The army must remain an institution that belongs to all citizens of Montenegro, regardless of religion, nationality or political affiliation...", Nurković underlined.
European Union official Alen Kalač said last night that he did not know why Nurković was surprised "by the Chetnik songs of some soldiers."
"His coalition partner and President of the Assembly, Duke Andrija Mandić, has long publicly inherited precisely such an ideology and value framework. That is why such phenomena are not an incident that falls from the sky, but a logical consequence of a policy that has been normalized for years from the very top of the government, which the Bosniak Party today serves unquestioningly," said Kalač.
Independent MP Miodrag Laković wrote this morning on Iks that the young soldier does not understand that it is wrong to sing to Draža Mihajlović, "because he goes to a church that honors (Chetnik commander) Pavle Đurišić."
European Union MP Nikola Zirojević wrote yesterday on the X network that he wondered whether Defense Minister Krapović, "given that he is waging an open fight in his department against officials who carry the national flag and cheer for Montenegro," sees something controversial in the fact that his officials "cheer up the guards of 'General Draža'."
"We will monitor whether and how these members of the Armed Forces of Montenegro will be sanctioned," he stressed.
The head of the Islamic Community, Rifat Fejzić, announced that if Montenegro is a civil state, it "cannot have a fascist army."
"I ask those responsible to impose the strictest punishments or to sing along with them, so that we know who is bringing them in and educating them. Is this the 'good' path for the EU? Responsibility, not silence," Fejzić wrote yesterday on the Iks website.
The Strategy for a European and Civic Montenegro (STEGA) organization announced yesterday that the video represents a serious and unacceptable incident that cannot be relativized or justified. It is not, as they said, a matter of "private opinion", but an open misuse of the uniform and state symbols to promote ideologies that are deeply contrary to the values of contemporary Montenegro.
See more:
Download the app and follow the news
FOLLOW US ON
