The Committee for Human Rights and Freedoms strongly condemned the incidents in the parliament on February 15, after the immunity of Democratic Front (DF) MPs Andrija Mandić and Milan Knežević was lifted, and said that it expects the prosecution of the perpetrators of that incident.
The President of the Committee, Halil Duković, said that the incident in the Assembly on February 15 was just one in a series that happened in the Parliament.
He recalled that a physical confrontation with the then Prime Minister, Milo Đukanović, was attempted earlier, that members of the Seventh Battalion attempted to forcibly enter the Assembly, as well as that an incident occurred during the visit of the President of the Assembly of Albania, when banners were brought into the plenary hall.
"The most worrying thing is the vocabulary and the mutual treatment of deputies. The vocabulary that was heard here, fortunately, is heard less and less on the street, and we, as deputies, should not bring these things into the Assembly. Unfortunately, we are from the Assembly made a street", assessed Duković.
He said that in the plenum, which was recognizable in the environment for its democracy and behavior of deputies, words unworthy of deputies were used.
"I believe that we MPs should be an example of how to behave, how to build a relationship with each other, because we are a mirror of society," said Duković.
Member of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), Mirsad Murić, said that the vandalism of the members of the DF instilled in them a fear that could not be imagined in Montenegro until now.
"During those events, as a member of the DPS and a representative of citizens, I was very uncomfortable. I didn't know how to behave," said Murić.
He assessed that the state must take care of all citizens of Montenegro, regardless of the function they perform.
"No one who holds an office or is elected by the citizens can abuse it and behave in a violent, vandalistic, undemocratic and uncivilized way and that office gives him the right to degrade someone's reputation and honor, to insult him on national, religious, ethnic, on the basis of gender, disability," said Murić.
The representative of DPS, Suad Numanović, said that the procedure for scheduling the session in the Assembly was respected and that there were no reasons for violent behavior.
He said that the events of February 15 cannot be an image of a society that is recognized as democratic, tolerant and a society that respects diversity.
"On that day, some MPs of the DF failed that exam," Numanović added.
According to him, any similar incident will have an adequate response from those who have the courage, values and moral virtues to confront the act of vandalism in a civilized manner.
"I expect an effective reaction from the competent authorities, to bring the perpetrators of such behavior to justice in an efficient manner," said Numanović.
DPS MP, Mihailo Andušić, said that the situation is catastrophic, because the representatives of non-governmental organizations dealing with the protection of human rights did not react to the events in the parliament.
"I believe that they should be the first to come forward with official announcements and condemnations when it comes to situations like this, I believe that we are in an unenviable situation in that area," said Andušić.
The representative of the Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms, Ivan Krkeljić, reminded that this institution has already reacted to all the unpleasant events that happened in society and in the parliament.
As he recalled, the Protector said that he expects an immediate reaction from the authorities and called for the calming of tensions.
"The Protector urges all institutions and competent authorities to undertake all activities in order to suppress such phenomena in society", stated Krkeljić.
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