The Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts (CANU) provides initiatives, proposals and opinions to state bodies and other stakeholders in economic, educational, cultural and public life in order to more successfully resolve certain long-term and current problems of social development.
This is, among other things, the mission of the highest institution in the field of science and art in Montenegro. In order to fulfill this and other missions, regular and associate members of CANU receive up to 2.000 euros per month.
The public, however, rarely hears their voice. In a sea of examples, the position of CANU on the latest major, and by many interpretations, controversial, agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on economic and tourism cooperation, which could result in a 99-year lease and construction on the country's most valuable natural resources, is still unknown.
The civil sector and some lawyers and politicians warn that the laws ratifying the agreement with the UAE undermine the constitutional order and suspend a number of Montenegrin laws.
Academics, however, are silent. Citizens have not yet heard a legal interpretation from them, even though four out of six full and part-time members of the Department of Social Sciences are active or retired law faculty professors.
CANU responds that academics themselves choose the topics they speak about publicly.
"CANU members, like all citizens, in accordance with their profession, interests and attitudes, choose the topics on which they, on their own behalf, make public statements, and CANU, as the highest national institution in the field of science and art, is not focused on events that attract attention on a daily basis, especially not those in the domain of political life," the institution responded to "Vijesti" by saying.
The voice of academics, at least according to media reports, is barely heard in the region. However, academics in neighboring Serbia supported mass student protests late last year...
The CANU budget for 2025 is 2,8 million euros, of which 900.000 is earmarked for member fees.
CANU: Scientific forums, publications, round tables...
"We are convinced that the essence of the diverse and continuous activities of CANU cannot be summarized in a few short questions or answers, and we would like to remind you that, by its structure, method of functioning, and in accordance with its defined mission, CANU shapes its positions on important social issues through its overall activities - through scientific forums, lectures and round tables, artistic events and the publication of various publications," CANU responded to questions from "Vijesti".
From the institution headed by the president Ljubiša Stanković, former rector of the state university, emphasize that positions and messages are “published through the media, including the website and, more recently, the CANU YouTube channel.”
"...And they are available to both the professional and general public, as well as state authorities. We are pleased to point out that you can find conclusions from several round tables on the CANU website, which contain initiatives, proposals and opinions," the institution said, also providing a list of activities from March.
"However, we are of the opinion that, despite information confirming the intensity and diversity of activities at CANU in the previous month, only after a more complete insight into the breadth and continuity of its activities can we objectively assess CANU's current or long-term contribution to the overall development of Montenegrin society," they said.
Responding to the question about academic awards, CANU reminds that the amounts are defined by the CANU Law and relevant internal acts.
"Academy awards are aligned with awards received by prominent cultural creators and prominent athletes, and range from 1,5 for extraordinary members to two average personal incomes from the previous year for regular members. Foreign members do not receive any compensation," they specified.
Bosniak: The country is burning, the Academy is combing its hair
"CANU, unfortunately, acts as an anemic and passive institution, which has been silent for decades, regardless of the fact that we have lived in very challenging and turbulent times, times that cried out for active engagement, for the voice of wisdom and reason of the intellectual elite," the former Vice President of the Parliament of Montenegro tells "Vijesti". Branka Bosniak.
"And their silence, that unbearable silence, resonates the loudest and is worthy of every condemnation, because it renders meaningless the very existence of that institution and its basic mission," she assessed.
According to her, CANU's engagement was limited to publishing activities, lectures on various and most often professional topics inaccessible to the general public.
"...Without the possibility of interaction with a wider audience. They are not there to publicly open a debate on current topics that shake and divide our society, to allow arguments to intersect that are certainly different even within the Academy, but that is precisely what gives rise to quality. They are not there to point out social anomalies, to stop this decline, this free fall of all long-established values, and that is why they are here," Bošnjak warned.
She points out that "CANU behaves as if it were outside of reality - far from social events, untouched by the state of society."
"They are complacently musing and philosophizing in their echo chambers, while everything around them in the country is collapsing, all values are being degraded, knowledge is becoming meaningless, ignorant people and fraudsters have emerged and are shaping our destiny, the partitocracy is mercilessly trampling and destroying all spheres of society, young talented people who know and care about themselves are leaving Montenegro, and someone else will reap the fruits of their knowledge. So, figuratively speaking, the country is burning, and CANU is combing its hair," she says.
He also says that "the task is precisely to stir up, stir up the public and warn with arguments."
"Instead of being a corrective factor in society, monitoring and not allowing some disastrous decisions for the state to pass easily, they always choose not to waver and not to hold grudges, choose servility to every government and thus make their mission meaningless," Bošnjak emphasizes, warning that citizens expect courage, sacrifice and work for the common good, for justice, from academics - the cream of the intellectual elite.
"They expect them to keep society from going in the wrong direction, they expect their public appearances and pointing out social anomalies, they believe that they should not think only for themselves and about themselves, but about the wider social community. However, the reality is depressing, our academics seem inclined to obedience, inclined to tolerate any authority. Obviously, we overestimate them, membership in the Academy does not mean moral superiority, because their scientific achievements and the character of socially responsible behavior are two different worlds," concludes Bošnjak.
She also reminded that the study "Montenegro in the 15st Century - in the Era of Competitiveness" was published XNUMX years ago.
"It covered the areas of the environment, economic development, integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structures, state building and functioning, population aspects, energy, issues of values, culture, education, science and technology, and on all these crucial topics, quality guidelines and solutions were given. However, today, most of what happens is contrary to these guidelines, the trends are deeply worrying, not to say disastrous, and CANU is silent."
Čabarkapa: Isolation and silence do not lead forward
Coordinator of the Active Citizenship program at the Center for Civic Education (CCE) Sara Cabarkapa says that public information about the work of CANU is very rare, and public positions of academics are even rarer.
"Recently, exhibitions of prominent Montenegrin artists Voj Stanić i Dada Đurić "They did attract attention because they are events of undoubtedly great importance for Montenegrin society. However, we must not forget that the role of an institution such as CANU is much more than that," says Čabarkapa.
According to her, there are many reasons for the active and clear involvement of CANU when it comes to numerous areas of Montenegrin society, and this is continuously lacking.
"The initiatives, proposals and opinions of the most important scientific institution in the country are important for every society, and our academics have opted for silence, which is not inherent to intellectuals from whom a higher level of social responsibility and engagement is rightly expected. An institution such as CANU must work more actively and promptly in order to benefit the entire society and find mechanisms to better utilize the expertise that exists in CANU, rather than raising the question of the purposefulness of its existence," emphasizes Čabarkapa.
He also points out that, unfortunately, academics' opinions on important issues are incidental.
“The most notable issue on which CANU gave its opinion in the previous period was related to the draft text of the Fundamental Agreement between the State of Montenegro and the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC), which primarily related to the preamble of that document. The Presidency of CANU sent its opinion directly to the cabinet of the then Prime Minister (Dritana) Abazović, who publicly invited various subjects to give their opinion, although he had already essentially decided. Abazović did not share that opinion of CANU with the public, nor did he accept it. It is commendable that the presidency of CANU reacted, but everything remained in the opinion that was later published on their website and is available to the public today. However, at the time when it was relevant, CANU failed to communicate to the public about the content of that opinion and the relationship that the Prime Minister and the Government demonstrated, because an institution such as CANU must not be ignored, nor should it allow it," Čabarkapa stated.
He recalls that, after the start of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, CCE called on CANU to condemn the attack.
"...What CANU did then and issued a statement. The condemnation should have come without any reminders, but we certainly consider their reaction positive," she said.
This year's budget for CANU is 2,8 million euros, and 900.000 euros are planned for remuneration for regular and associate members.
She assesses that individual attitudes and opinions of academics testify to the non-functioning of CANU as a unified institution.
“It's worrying, but it's not news,” explains Čabarkapa.
He states that academics who address the public with personal dignity and attitude deserve attention, but that it is not good that their views, which affirm Montenegrin society as civil, secular, multiethnic and do not coincide with current politics, are today considered courage, nor that CANU does not stand institutionally behind them.
"Society's expectations are obviously much higher than what CANU is achieving by remaining in a closed academic circle and without a publicly recognizable interest in examining the turbulent reality of our time. In this way, CANU is choosing isolation and silence, which will not contribute to the progress and democratic development of our society and state, nor to the strengthening of the reputation and strength of that institution," says Čabarkapa.
"The infamous example" of Predrag Miranović
Sara Čabarkapa states that we also have “infamous examples of the actions of individual academics, such as Predrag Miranovića, who is being prosecuted today before the Basic Court in Podgorica for his participation in the illegal appointment of Boris Raonić as the General Director of RTCG.
"CCE timely called on Miranović and other members of the Council not to enter the zone of criminal liability, and his ignoring these calls did not end well for either RTCG or him and undoubtedly harms CANU, because the minimum expectation from academics is that when they are part of some processes, they work legally and affirm the rule of law."
Membership is an honor somewhere, but in the Balkans it's a "grease"
Bošnjak also states that membership in the academy of sciences in developed countries, such as the United States of America (USA), Germany, France, Great Britain... "is a matter of prestige and an honor."
"...And there is no compensation for that. Their academics altruistically share their knowledge. Even in some countries, academics pay membership fees to the academy. However, in the Balkans it is different, there is no sphere that is not materialized," Bošnjak emphasizes.
The lifetime grants, he points out, that our academics receive are inappropriately high, and also undeserved.
"…Especially considering their passivity and negligible impact on social movements, although their mission is precisely to influence the development of society by launching initiatives, pointing out problems, and offering solutions. I think that it is precisely these privileges that they receive that have, in a way, silenced them, and have completely made many of them passivized in a scientific and artistic sense. Not to mention that these lifelong privileges have become the main motive for membership, and many are trying to gain membership through various shortcuts and lobbying channels. Unfortunately, some have succeeded and undeservedly become academics, while in scientific and artistic circles outside of Montenegro almost no one has heard of them, not to mention that some of them have been accused of serious crimes. That is why, as a country, we are where we are," Bošnjak assessed.
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