Naming a street in Podgorica after Pavlo Bulatović would send a bad message in terms of affirming a selective approach to dealing with the past, it was reported from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) Center for Women's and Peace Education ANIMA, Action for Human Rights (HRA) and Center for Civic Education (CGO) ).
Those NGOs said that they were protesting against the proposal of a Democrat councilor that one of the streets in Podgorica be named after Bulatović, who was the Minister of Internal Affairs and Defense during the wars of the 90s.
The announcement states that Bulatović was the Minister of Internal Affairs in the government of Milo Đukanović and ordered the execution of the war crime of deportation of Muslim refugees, i.e. people who tried to find salvation in Montenegro from war destruction, persecution and death.
"According to his order, the Montenegrin police, without any legal basis, arrested at least 66 people (and according to some estimates 100) and handed them over as hostages to the army of the Republika Srpska," the statement said.
It is also stated that Bulatović was the Minister of Internal Affairs and Defense of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the reign of Slobodan Milošević.
It is added that, while he was in the position of Minister of Defense, Bulatović was assassinated under still unexplained circumstances.
From ANIMA, HRA and CGO indicated that the rules for determining the proposal for the names of settlements, streets and squares in the area of the Capital City prescribe the obligation to mark permanent values from the culture and tradition of the city, state and environment through the names of settlements, streets and squares.
"Therefore, we express a strong protest against the intention to (re)name a street in a way that in any way justifies the crime committed," the announcement states.
It is emphasized that it is necessary to insist on the political consensus of the authorities, the involvement of the academic community and the wider citizenry.
From ANIMA, HRA and CGO said that, in a situation where the process of transitional justice has not been completed in the state and society (without adequate convictions and lustration), such marking methods cause additional damage and contribute to divisions.
"We don't even understand what civilizational values this appointment would bring to our society, and it would undoubtedly send an extremely bad message in terms of affirming a selective approach to dealing with the past," says the announcement of ANIMA, HRA and CGO.
Those NGOs pointed out that it was the political structures that make up the government in Podgorica, during their political speeches, that justifiably problematized the wartime past of the Democratic Party of Socialists.
"And the role of the former Prime Minister Đukanović in the wars of the 90s, so it remains unclear where the desire to give such an honor to one of the executors of those war policies?!", says the announcement of ANIMA, HRA and CGO.
They said that naming settlements, squares and streets is one of the mechanisms of building a culture of memory and the identity of society.
"Instead of celebrating the darkest period of modern history and encouraging the divisions that destroyed Montenegrin society in the 90s, we invite the councilors of the Podgorica City Assembly to turn to bright examples of our past, personalities and events that glorify humanity, culture, unity, tolerance and the fight against extremism and violence ", the announcement concludes.
Independent councilor in the Assembly of the Capital City and member of the non-partisan Citizens' Initiative "21. May" Aleksandar Saša Zeković told "Vijesti" yesterday that if Montenegro strives to stop further polarization of society, the proposal to name one of the streets in Podgorica after Pavlo Bulatović should be abandoned.
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Pavle Bulatović was the Minister of Internal Affairs of Montenegro and the Minister of Internal Affairs and Defense of the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY).
The proposal for Pavle Bulatović to get a street in Podgorica was submitted to the council for proposing names of settlements, streets and squares by Democratic Montenegro councilors Mitar Vuković and Vladimir Čađenović.
In this regard, Zeković sent an appeal to the President of the Council, Boris Pejović, yesterday.
Responding to Zeković today, Pejović told "Vijesti" that every proposal must be considered.
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