The Center for Democratic Transition (CDT) announced today that it is calling on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MVP) to request an official explanation from Serbia in a diplomatic communication regarding the statement by its President Aleksandar Vučić that the possible motive for the double murder in the village of Sokolac is religious or national hatred and that the perpetrator is a fugitive. Alija Balijagić is an Islamic extremist.
"In fact, in the Ćirilica Show broadcast on TV Happy, upon the statement of the presenter that Balijagić committed the murder 'as a Muslim fanatic' because he saw icons in the house of the murdered, the President of Serbia said that this was one of the possible options and that they had information from 'intelligence connections from Montenegro" that Balijagić became a "real fanatic, extreme, radical Islamist" in prison. Also, the president of Serbia connected this event with the crimes against Muslims in Šahovići 1924," the CDT press release signed by Milica Kovačević, program director, points out.
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The CDT added that after this, the joint statement of the Police Administration (UP) and the National Security Agency (ANB) states that the data at their disposal do not indicate that the motives for the double murder near Bijelo Polje were of a religious or national nature.
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"Also, these institutions announce that Balijagić is a person prone to committing serious crimes against persons and property, which is why he spent many years in prison, but his activities that can be linked to radical activities in the field of religious extremism have not been registered. we believe that, in a situation where the president of a neighboring country communicates information that is diametrically opposed to the views of our competent state authorities, and these views can be a trigger for extremism and/or violent extremism or destabilization in To Montenegro, the competent ministry must officially seek additional explanations and answers," the CDT statement reads.
The non-governmental organization (NGO) said that if the state authorities of Montenegro have accurate data, then such attitudes from the state directly affect the stability of society, bearing in mind the already difficult and sensitive situation that arose after the double murder in the village of Sokolac.
"If we leave aside the question of what are the intelligence connections of the President of Serbia in Montenegro, because they are not the subject of the work of NGOs but of some other institutions in our country, the key question remains what is to be achieved with statements of this type, even if they are correct," they say. from CDT.
They state that irresponsible statements of this type can be a very dangerous trigger for tensions and misunderstandings in the region, fueling animosities and causing potentially destructive consequences for inter-ethnic relations.
"When they come from the president of a neighboring country, such statements not only affect public perception, but can contribute to the spread of misinformation and the creation of unfounded prejudices against certain groups within our society. In a sensitive situation such as the current one, the expectation from all responsible politicians and the media is to contribute to peace and stability with their public appearances, instead of further polarizing the already complex social relations," CDT said.
They also state that as a member of the National Operational Team to Combat Violent Extremism (NOT) they proposed holding a session of this body where this case will be discussed and appropriate measures will be found to prevent any potentially negative consequences for the civil character of our society and the quality of the common life of everyone in it.
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