Discrimination and assimilation of ethnic Muslims in Montenegro has continued under the new authorities in the last four years, as well as in the previous twenty, the Muslim Council announced.
"These days we have witnessed a scandalous decision by the Committee on Economy, Finance and Budget of the Parliament of Montenegro, which allocated 600.000 euros for cultural projects, 250.000 for the Church of St. Petka in Danilovgrad, 200.000 for the Cultural Center of Bosniaks in Podgorica and 150.000 for the heritage in Tuzi," the statement reads.
They point out that "according to the old assimilationist and discriminatory custom, which has lasted for two and a half decades," ethnic Muslims in Montenegro are not on any list.
The Muslim Council says that the consequence of these and similar decisions is the fact that the number of ethnic Muslims in Montenegro from the 1991 census, when they were over 14 percent, has now been reduced to 1,63 percent.
"Of course, this does not worry anyone from the state government. The fact that a national body is disappearing before their eyes, and it is similar with others, does not worry them as much as those who were in power before them," the statement said.
"Ethnic Muslims do not have their own representatives in state and local parliaments, they are marginalized wherever possible, but this does not worry anyone, but decisions like these are made with obvious discriminatory consequences. To this should be added the fact that during the preparation of the budget, no initiative or inquiry was sent to the National Council of Muslims of Montenegro," it added.
They asked if any of the decision-makers were aware of the fact that the Cultural Center in Podgorica was supposed to be jointly owned by Muslims and Bosniaks, and that this idea had existed for a long time.
"It seems that no one is interested in this, but rather the old practice of 'extermination' of a constitutionally recognized people in Montenegro is continuing," said the Muslim Council.
Bonus video:
