Mandić: There is no necessary majority for my removal

The President of the Parliament of Montenegro, Andrija Mandić, said that there is no necessary majority for his dismissal.

He said that he notes that the current initiative is being accompanied by "an extremely cruel and deeply untrue political campaign full of lies and subterfuge":

"Which attempted to attribute to the statement of condolences - an act deeply rooted in the great tradition of Montenegro - everything that that act is not and can never be, and to express regret that this campaign of untruths has caused concern and pain among a certain number of people," the Parliament said.

Mandić met with the President of the National Council of Austria, Walter Rosenkrantz, today in Vienna, during his official visit to the Republic of Austria.

He also said that the opposition initiative for his removal is an integral part of democracy.

"It is important for me to remind you that during those unfortunate nineties, which are now being tried to place at the center of a campaign of lies directed against me, Andrija Mandić did not hold any position where key political and state decisions were made, nor was he actively involved in politics during that period. At the same time, the current creators of the initiative then had absolute control over all of Montenegro, but also significant political reach beyond its borders," said Mandić.

He added, "that these people, who from positions of power have kept Montenegro trapped in the divisions of the past for so long, not allowing its citizens to even dream of a better tomorrow, now want to return us to their darkness, when we are at the gates of the European Union."

"Majority Montenegro has repeatedly said a resolute 'no' to this, and the initiators of my dismissal will receive the same 'no' for the third time on September 24. I believe that this is their last attempt to, under various pretexts, stop Montenegro in the final phase of the process of accession to the European Union. The European path is precisely the route on which we are building reconciliation in Montenegro. Guided by the example of France and Germany, which only five years after the end of World War II began the historic process of reconciliation and European integration, I am certain that we in Montenegro will have enough strength, understanding and wisdom to overcome the divisions of the past and achieve true reconciliation among all the peoples living in our country," said Mandić.

In his conversation with Rosenkrantz, he assessed that relations between Montenegro and Austria are based on friendship, mutual respect and a common interest in a stable, secure and European future of the Western Balkans.

Mandić said that Montenegro today has a historic opportunity to complete what it started a long time ago - to become a member of the European Union.

"Our goal is no longer just to progress - our goal is to complete the negotiations and for Montenegro to become the next member of the European Union. We want our country to be the best news of the enlargement policy," said Mandić.