Mandić shoots for the highest positions: What does the speaker of parliament's departure for a reception on the anniversary of the restoration of independence mean?

Departure of the Speaker of Parliament Andrije Mandić (New Serbian Democracy) at a reception marking the 20th anniversary of the restoration of state independence, is a continuation of the "conciliatory" mission of the former opposition figure who threatened with buried weapons, and because of "participation in the divisions that are close to his soul", as a high-ranking official decided to call for the referendum "axes" to be buried.

The question is what motives lie behind the latest maneuver: has Mandić really begun to Europeanize and turn away from Belgrade, or is this just another acrobatics by which he is strengthening his position in power for the sake of subversive action from within.

"Vijesti" interlocutors agree that Mandić's departure for the reception organized by the Prime Minister Milojko Spajic (Europe Now Movement) on Wednesday, the latest in a series of smart steps by which the leader of the highest legislative house is stepping out of the categories in which others place him, sending a message that he is a serious politician with big ambitions.

But while the journalist Željko Pantelić believes that Mandić is "bored" of being on the losing side, and that the head of parliament has realized that the regime Aleksandar Vučić in Serbia ready to sacrifice everything, including Serbs in Montenegro, just to stay in power a day longer, political scientist Aleksandar Music believes that Mandić has come to another conclusion - that he can "fulfill" protocol obligations without major problems, seemingly respecting Montenegrin statehood, while internally "working on its head", changing it for the worse, all in the interests of the authorities in Belgrade.

Whatever lies behind Mandić's behavior, his move has provoked reactions across the political spectrum, he has also come under fire from Belgrade tabloids, with whom he has been in cahoots for years, and he has also received a "slap" from his long-time coalition partner. Milan Knežević.

The night before leaving for the reception, Mandić announced this at the opening of an exhibition in the Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts building, with a message of "reconciliation," which is now a recognizable characteristic of his turnaround, which seems to have begun during the campaign for the 2023 presidential elections.

"I am proud to point out that today I am the oldest leader of the bloc for the community of the Old Continent - for our European Union (EU). The moment has finally come for us all to say together 'Europe, we are returning'. Happy future to you, reconciled Montenegro," Mandić said at the beginning of the week.

Pantelić: A logical move

Željko Pantelić told "Vijesti" that Mandić's move is not a surprise, and that it is a logical move by a politician who respects the country he lives in, the position he holds, the institution he represents, the citizens who did not vote for him and do not think like him. He states that an important fact is that respecting the coalition agreement between Mandić's New Serbian Democracy (NSD) and Spajić's Europe Now Movement (PES) is based on completing "the most important job of this generation of Montenegrin politicians - joining the EU".

"... And that all other sensitive issues are resolved when this work is completed and, more importantly, that no moves are made that could jeopardize Montenegro's entry into the EU by the end of this decade," added Pantelić.

He assessed that Mandić and Spajić have a very pragmatic relationship, without lofty words and statements of "love", but honest and sincere, as much as is possible in politics.

"It is indicative that in the past three years Spajić has not put Mandić in an awkward position, nor vice versa. Moreover, when they could, they directly or indirectly helped each other get out of potentially awkward situations or traps set for them by political opponents, but also by brokers working for the interests of other states, not only Serbia and Russia, but also Croatia and Turkey," said Pantelić.

The interlocutor claims that Mandić no longer wants to be "on the losing side", and that he also wants to show that Serbs can be on the winning side, that they are not a disruptive factor and that they can be constructive in achieving the "most important state goal".

"It seems to me that Mandić understood that Aleksandar Vučić's regime is ready to sacrifice everything, including Serbs in Montenegro, just to stay in power for a day longer. Vučić and Milorad Dodik", in order to stay in power, figuratively speaking, they wake up like Americans, have breakfast like Europeans, have lunch like Chinese, and go to bed like Russians. That policy can work in Serbia and Republika Srpska, or Bosnia and Herzegovina, but not in Montenegro," Pantelić concluded.

Music: Blunting the Blade of Opponents

Aleksandar Music told "Vijesti" that attending the reception was the latest in a series of intelligent moves by the head of parliament, with which he innovates and breaks out of the categories in which others have placed him. He pointed out that those who ridicule Mandić's flattery to the American president to Donald Trump and Israel, as well as this latest ("quasi") step forward with admission, they do not realize that they are not harming him by doing so, but that he is certainly doing it to them - "blunting their edge".

"There is nothing to laugh at, unfortunately. While Mandić innovates, the opposition is in a swamp of personnel, content and strategic stagnation. The same people are reciting stale phrases that have long since stopped working, and all this in a situation in which the terrain on which the game is played has changed profoundly. From the 'trump card' (approx. 50-50) situation of August 30, 2020, in less than six years (of nothing), the opposition has been brought into a situation twice as weak - that the outcome of the elections is regularly known in advance - the government throws itself at the crowd and wins every time," he underlined.

Music said that it is already clear that with this approach, the opposition will lose another election in a row next year, and that no one on that side "has even the slightest thought" of changing anything.

"And it seems that none of them are at all uncomfortable with being eternal losers, a case unheard of in Europe. The irony of all this is that the opposition side currently has a sea of ​​space, unused energy (visible these days on the occasion of 20 years of independence throughout Montenegro). But - no articulation, no realization," he assessed.

The interlocutor claims that Mandić (as well as Jelena Borovinić Bojović, in the case of the photo with the Montenegrin flag) perfectly understands that he can quite comfortably disingenuously/benignly respect the external signs of an independent state - receptions and flags - and dismantle its independence from within, continuing to change it for the worse.

"This, like the European accession path, paradoxically even gives Mandić much greater maneuvering power within the country itself than if he were to recycle old mistakes by playing the role of an open destroyer. Forget the old, 2D categories - the game for the fate of Montenegro is more perfidious and dangerous than ever. Mandić is going to burn himself to the end as part of the mainstream, while retaining all the levers and perfidious pro-Chetnik politics within the state," says Music, adding that the fact that Mandić chose the "institutional" path, and Knežević the "revolutionary" one - paid off for both of them.

He reminded that, according to the latest public opinion polls, Mandić and Knežević together are somewhat stronger than they were before.

"So much for the alleged quarrel and rift, which was another hook for the naive," said Music.

Mandić's NSD and Knežević's Democratic People's Party (DNP) have been working together for more than a decade, first within the Democratic Front and then in the coalition For the Future of Montenegro. The coalition found itself in an awkward position earlier this year, when the DNP left the government, because the executive branch refused to discuss their identity demands, which concerned the introduction of the Serbian language as an official language, the standardization of the tricolor as the national flag, and the amendment of the Law on Montenegrin Citizenship (to introduce dual citizenship with Serbia). In addition, the DNP has also sought dialogue on the issue of the construction of a wastewater treatment plant in Botun.

Letters from Belgrade

Mandić and Knežević have been playing the roles of “good” and “bad” cops ever since the January “split”. Almost as a rule, Mandić takes a broader, more liberal position, while Knežević always emphasizes Mandić’s right to behave as he thinks he should, and then comes across as a “hardliner”. This was also the case with the admission.

Knežević, appearing on a regime television station in Serbia, said that "Mandić has the right to decide in the way he thinks is right", but that he would not go to the reception there because he would "disappoint" the 185.000 citizens who voted for a common state in 2006, adding that he thought the referendum was "stolen", and that such a referendum enabled the creation of a "false state based on anti-Serbian politics".

Speaking about the reception, Knežević said that among those present were "a total of 350 years of imprisonment", adding that they were tycoons whom he sees as symbols of "suffering, robbery and privatization of Montenegro".

Much harsher than Knežević were the Belgrade tabloids, who called Mandić's move, among other things, a "disgrace", a "capitulation" and a "celebration of secession". They wrote that in one place they found "Milojko Spajić, a populist Miraš Dedeić, Milo Đukanović, Andrija Mandic, Ranko Krivokapic i Gojko Perovic", that Perović "was a special decoration of the evening", and that everything happened "with the blessing of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral". While Mandić was criticized, Knežević received praise, so it was written that his "face is priceless".

Mandić's more constructive political position, at least on a superficial level, is also visible through the column Marko Milačić, his advisor for EU and international relations. In his statement on the occasion of two decades since the restoration of state independence, Milačić said that "the Serbian people in Montenegro should not pursue a policy of bitterness, but a policy of self-confidence", and that this does not mean "renouncing identity, language, the Serbian Orthodox Church, history or closeness to brotherly Serbia", but rather the opposite.

Milačić stated that the issues of the Serbian language, the national flag, dual citizenship, as well as the full social and institutional affirmation of Serbian identity, cannot be permanently and sustainably resolved through conflicts and divisions, but exclusively through stable political dialogue, democratic processes and strengthening trust in institutions.

Mandić acted on this basis at the beginning of the year, when, speaking about the DNP's identity demands, he said that the NSD supports such initiatives, but "everything in its own time."

The strongest ally of the government in Serbia

The overture on the Serbia-Montenegro relationship, on the eve of Independence Day, was made by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, who said last week that he would not come to the celebration of the anniversary of the restoration of Montenegrin independence because "that would be spitting in the face of himself and his people."

Asked how Mandić's move should be viewed in the context of Vučić's statement, Aleksandar Music replied that it was another bone to pick for the masses.

"Civilians who observe politics are often slaves to the impression of personal statements, arguments, from today to tomorrow, without looking at the tectonics. And the tectonics in this case is a clear deep Crnoruka-Udbaš-Bias state and its eternal imperial drive towards Montenegro, there is nowhere near a better player for its goals in Montenegro than Andrija Mandić," Music claimed.

He claims that in a short time, Mandić has delivered more for the interests of another state, for climate change in the country, for foreign economic control and foreign economic flows than anyone else, and that the leadership of the Montenegrin Public Service is following him closely.

"And here Vučić's tactical ranting in a situation where he has to try to distract attention from the arrest Veselin Milić "It doesn't mean anything. Whether his whining and the whining of his regime's media is real or fake - it doesn't matter, the structure (which he temporarily heads) was there before him and will be there after him. That deep (para)intelligence-(para)economic structure in power in Serbia, by the nature of things, has Mandić as its strongest ally in Montenegro, if we exclude the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC)," the interlocutor assessed.

Music says that, whatever happens on the surface level, such structures will not give up on Mandić at the level where it truly matters - the long-term, strategic one. According to him, "Mandić's people" in Montenegro are a natural ally of any more aggressive government in a neighboring country, regardless of all the nuances, embellishments and spices.

He assessed that what is the ultimate tragedy of Montenegro is that such a perfidious Chetnik policy rushes forward, destroying Montenegro - not because of any alleged genius, but because it has absolutely no intelligent resistance against itself.

"So far, it has spent, vain and under-capacitated people on its side. The opposition side has the most opportunities, unused Montenegrin energy - but it needs to be articulated. It needs quality people," Music underlined.

Statesman's ambitions

On the other hand, Željko Pantelić says that the message Mandić is sending by attending the reception is that he is a serious politician with the ambition to become a statesman. He pointed out that Mandić is neither the first nor the last politician in history to evolve in his views over time.

"In today's EU, we have a whole range of nationalist right-wing politicians who, once in power, have shown that they can be reliable and valid partners. We don't have to go far, the example of the Italian Prime Minister is right in front of us." George MeloniSince becoming Prime Minister, she has never questioned or debated April 25 (the day of Italy's liberation from fascism), despite the fact that some members of her party continue to do so, and the opposition constantly provokes her on the subject, reminding her of her youthful views on (the Italian fascist dictator) Benitu) Mussolini", said Pantelić.

He recalled that Mandić has long been working to improve his image in the United States and EU members, which, he added, is quite normal since Montenegro is a member of NATO and on the doorstep of the EU.

"Respecting institutional etiquette and democratic rules is a conditio sine qua non (a condition that cannot be done without) in order to be accepted as a serious interlocutor, at least in the EU, and if you intend to perform important functions, not only at the national level, but also within the EU and NATO," the interlocutor assessed.

"Vijesti" wrote in early December last year that Mandić, since being elected as the first person of the Assembly, has traveled a "thorny" path in the West. After Mandić was elected as the head of the parliament at the end of October 2023, the Quint countries (USA, Great Britain, France, Germany and Italy) and the EU Delegation did not congratulate him on his election to office, they opposed the entry of the former DF into power, and the American embassy sent a message that this alliance, which was against the country's membership in NATO and the recognition of Kosovo's independence, was not a partner for them.

However, this "cordon sanitaire" around Mandić was breached, and over time he had meetings with ambassadors of the Quinte countries, was a guest in Washington and London, and spoke with the head of the European Parliament. Robert Metsolom, spoke on several occasions with the European Commissioner for Enlargement Martom Kos...

Music: Geopolitics and the American ambassador "choose" the prime minister

When asked whether Mandić, by attending the reception, is suggesting to the West that he is ready for the prime minister or presidential position in the near future, Aleksandar Music responded, among other things, by adding that with such a move, Mandić blunts the edge of his opponents from within and reinforces the impression of a constructive actor from without.

"He is doing everything he can to make it increasingly difficult to declare him a Trojan horse in the state. This should also be seen in the context of his contacts and meetings with the British, and the dropping of the coup d'état indictment. Nothing happens by chance," he said.

Music said that whether Mandic (or someone like him) will be the next prime minister will not be decided by receptions, false "reconciliation", etc., but primarily by the geopolitical moment, and then by the position of the next US ambassador to Montenegro.

"... But all of this is a broader mosaic of deliberate work, something that may not decide, but can certainly benefit him and his agenda of capillary strengthening. Either way, that side is thinking and working. On the opposition side, it's just rotting," said Music.

Pantelić: Mandić will go down in history as someone who brought Serbs into the EU

Asked how Mandić's departure for the reception should be viewed in the context of Vučić's statement that by coming to the celebration of the anniversary of the restoration of Montenegrin independence, he would "spit in the face of himself and his people", Željko Pantelić replied that Vučić will go down in history as a politician who isolated Serbia from its natural environment, as a leader who made Serbia a black hole on the European carpet, a Balkan Colombia, and allowed it to be labeled as a Russian and Chinese fifth column in Europe, which is not entirely true.

"Whether anyone likes it or not, Mandić will be remembered as someone who brought Serbs into the EU, at least those living in Montenegro, and it is not ruled out that, thanks to the ruling coalition of which Mandić is an important part, the Serbian language will become one of the official languages ​​of the EU. And that would be the best indicator of who does good to their people and who treats them like Mustaj-kadi from Gorski vijenac," Pantelić assessed.