It's not a woman's, but Baby's convention

Members of women's Montenegrin non-governmental organizations will protest today on the occasion of the beginning of the regional Convention of Women of the Western Balkans, which they associate with Vladimir Bebo Popović and his Institute for Public Policy. They decided to take that step because, as they state, "this kind of elitist gathering does not support women's activism."

"It additionally destroys the hard-established trust and networks of solidarity between women who work in the field and who suffer violence, renders meaningless, privatizes and discredits all efforts to recognize women in Montenegro as political subjects and exert a greater influence on the development and establishment of gender equality". writes in a joint statement signed by Anima, Center for Women's Rights, Safe Women's House, SOS Telephone, Center for Roma Initiatives, Bona Fide and Strong Mama.

Popović's associate from the Institute for Public Policy, Selena Tasić, sits in the five-member organizing committee of the Women's Convention "She's Here", as well as Aneta Spaić, Ivona Jovović Dabetić, Meliha Ramusović and Emina Kolarević, the daughter of Ana Đukanović, who, as announced, will speak at the Convention .

On the website of the Institute, it was previously stated that Tasić and Kolarević were employed by them. Popović denied that Kolarević works at the Institute and her name is no longer on the website. The first name in the project team of the Convention is Mina Muković, who is also in the project team of the office of the Popović Institute.

Despite this, the Institute previously denied any connection with the Convention, and the organizers with Popović and Vlad. Last year, after a protest letter from 52 non-governmental organizations from the region, the European Commission canceled the grant for the project "Women's Government of the Western Balkans", for which he was supposed to receive 127.500 euros...

On the website of the Women's Convention, the Montenegrin airline company "Montenegro Erlajnz" (MA) is listed as one of the "silver" sponsors. It says that the event was supported by the Government and the Capital.

Women's NGOs claim that such a decision is "another proof of how little Montenegrin institutions are interested in the real needs and interests of women in Montenegro".

"The obvious connection with the project of the Institute... which was suspended by the European Commission, was ignored, because the director of this organization, Popović, continuously carried out a violent campaign against the civil society activist. Instead, the institutions of the system showed an unprecedented readiness to support, only established non-governmental organization in the realization of an elitist and unjustifiably expensive event".

Yesterday, the organizers did not announce how much it cost to organize the Convention, announcing that they would answer the questions of "Vijesti" after the event.

Montenegrin women's NGOs asked the institutions, which supported the Convention, for answers on what impact the mentioned event will have on improving the position of women.

They also ask on the basis of which decision they made the decision to spend the limited funds for improving the position of women on the mentioned project and how much was given to the organization...

Former Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor won't come either?

Several sources claim that former Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor also canceled her participation in the conference, but the organizers of the convention did not answer that question to "Vijesta".

In the joint statement of women's NGOs, it is stated that almost all Montenegrin NGOs, which deal with women's rights, have canceled their participation.

Earlier it was announced that the participation was canceled by the American ambassador Margaret Ann Uehara. The new agenda of events does not mention the previously announced - writer Biljana Srbljanović, former President of the Assembly of Albania Jozefina Topali, Minister of Defense Milica Pejanović Đurišić and director of TV "Vijesti" Marijana Kadić Bojanić.

The presidents of the Disabled Youth Association, Marina Vujačić, and the "Parents" Association, Kristina Mihailović, confirmed to "Vijesta" that they will not attend, even though their names are on the agenda.

The government distanced itself from the event, claims that they did not give money

However, the government and the Ministry of Science, which the organizers thanked for their support in several media releases, distanced themselves from the event.

It was briefly announced to "Vijesti" that they did not support or allocate any funds for the event.

The capital replied that they did not financially support the meeting, but that they support its "organization and goal", which, they claim, is in accordance with their Action Plan for gender equality.

"An additional motive for support is also reflected in the announced participants, who, we believe, will provide even greater credibility to the event," announced the PG Bureau.

The MA did not answer the questions of "Vijesti" yesterday, and it was announced that the president of the Board of Directors, Daliborka Pejović, would participate in the meeting.