Zirojević: The dishonorable discharge of a soldier who sings a Chetnik song is being obstructed by Lieutenant Colonel VB

European Union representative Nikola Zirojević announced today that a soldier of the Army of Montenegro (VCG) who sings verses dedicated to Chetnik commander Draža Mihailović has not been coming to work for seven months, and that his dishonorable discharge is being obstructed by Lieutenant Colonel VB

"Would the Ministry of Defense be kind enough to answer us whether it is true that the aforementioned soldier has not been coming to work for 7 months? How is it that Lieutenant Colonel VB keeps documents in a drawer so that the dishonorable discharge procedure, which has been formally initiated, would not be completed? Is it true that the aforementioned officer, in the meantime, while not coming to work, is working in tourism and conducting tourist tours? Will disciplinary proceedings ultimately be initiated against the Lieutenant Colonel because of this?" Zirojević pointed out in a statement.

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.