Hadžić: We cannot demolish Mandić at the state level, while turning a blind eye to the councilors' departure for Mladić's funeral in Budva

One cannot demand political responsibility and draw clear ideological boundaries at the state level, while at the same time, at the local level, like Budva, share power without any problems with political structures that belong to the same or similar political-ideological corps. At the state level, overthrow the voivode, and at the local level, turn a blind eye to the departure of councilors to Ratko Mladić's funeral.

This was announced by Seid Hadžić, a member of parliament from the Europe Now Movement (PES) in the Parliament of Montenegro.

He said that a principle that only applies when it is politically expedient is not a principle, but an excuse for daily politics.

"Since the change of government in 2020, Montenegro has seen numerous political combinations that were until yesterday declared "unnatural" and unacceptable. However, when it came to forming a government, ideological differences were quickly forgotten, and political boundaries easily shifted," Hadžić said.

That is why today, as the PES MP believes, it is not enough to talk about principle only where it does not cost anything.

"You are turning a blind eye to the printing and distribution of school supplies and textbooks for elementary school students with the Montenegrin letters ś and ź removed. You are turning a deaf ear to the noise of machines, regime companies from our neighboring country, a regime that is showing the "Potočari direction", and you don't mind them building Budva. Principled, right? Now, according to your political logic, I should be defending Montenegro from you? Of course, I will not do it politically as you do, but as a civic-oriented politician, it is my duty to do what I can do, at this moment I will at least say out loud, that what is happening in Budva under your patronage is shameful," he told the constituents of the local government in Budva.

Hadžić said that they have the right to demand the removal of the Speaker of the Parliament, Andrija Mandić. But...

"If you present this as a matter of principle and unacceptable political cooperation, then explain Budva. If a principle is truly a principle, then it must apply even where its application means loss of power, function or political benefit," he added.

The PES MP assessed that the initiative to remove Mandić would have significantly greater political and moral weight if the same standard were applied in Budva.

"This does not deny the right to such an initiative, but rather simply asks the question: are the principles the same everywhere or are they adjusted to political interest? To be very clear, we have similar examples in other political structures on this paradoxical political scene, but that is not the topic now. So, one cannot have a double standard towards the actions of political partners and opponents. What is acceptable when done by someone with whom we share power cannot become unacceptable overnight just because the same or similar action comes from the other side of the political scene. Believe me, it just shows what will happen tomorrow if you get the chance," he said.

Such selective principledness only exposes the intention of polished politicians who claim to be inviolable judges, but without credibility, assessed Hadžić.

"And the scariest thing is that such principledness deepens divisions and further undermines citizens' trust in politics," he concluded in a press release.