The Council for Civilian Control of Police Work called on the Government to make a decision to erect a monument to the victims of deportation in Herceg Novi, stating that it should be emphasized that the citizens of that municipality did not participate in or contribute to that crime in any way.
The Council announced that, as in previous years and decades, they support the memorial gathering to mark the anniversary of the crime of the deportation of Bosnian and Herzegovinian refugees from Montenegro in 1992.
They thanked and recognized the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) Human Rights Action (HRA), the Center for Women's and Peace Education - ANIMA, and the Center for Civic Education (CCE), for their decades of persistence in a difficult and important process.
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As the Council said, these NGOs are persistent in not allowing the citizens of Montenegro to forget about that crime and the mistakes of the Montenegrin authorities from the past.
The statement recalls that, based on the Council's previous recommendations, the 2020 commemoration was attended by the then Head of the Herceg Novi Security Center, Goran Banićević, on behalf of the police organization, at the order of the then Director of the Police Administration, Veselin Veljović.
This is reportedly the first official presence of a police officer since the anniversary of the deportation has been marked.
"Until then, Montenegrin police and state authorities had ignored the commemoration of this crime, so the final presence of a police chief represented an important and encouraging initial step by the police in the process of dealing with the past," the statement said.
The Council said that a historic step forward, also based on the recommendations of citizen oversight of the police, was taken by former Director of the Police Administration Zoran Brđanin, who issued an apology regarding the participation of the Montenegrin police in the arrest and deportation of refugees.
"This is a key act for further building and confirming the credibility of the Montenegrin police after the crimes against innocent civilians who tried to find salvation in Montenegro," the Council said.
They also paid tribute to the Government of Montenegro, led by Prime Minister Milojko Spajić, and all members of the current Government for their success this year in the process of dealing with the past.
"Together, we are proud of such progress in Montenegro," the Council emphasized.
They said that the 43rd Government of Dritan Abazović did not in any way support the process of dealing with the past, nor did it in any way contribute to the elimination of human rights violations in the past or at that time.
As stated by the Council, this is evidenced by numerous current proceedings for human rights violations and serious failures by state authorities, especially the police.
"The Council addressed Spajić and the Minister of Culture and Media Tamara Vujović and called on the Government to finally make a decision on erecting a monument to the victims of deportation in Herceg Novi," the statement said.
It is stated that, after the current government's significant success in recognizing victims' rights to reparations, acknowledging responsibility, and correcting injustice, it is finally time to erect a monument to the victims of deportation.
"This has become and remains a key element in the fight for human rights and democracy, which is in the hands of the executive branch," the Council stressed.
They recalled that the initiative to erect the monument was jointly submitted by HRA, CCE and ANIMA and the Council for Citizens' Control of Police Work, through its then member Aleksandar Zeković.
"A memorial is necessary for lasting remembrance, healing, avoiding the dangers of past crimes, for learning from the past, and ultimately, for the real progress of Montenegro," the Council said.
They said that over the past few years they have tried to communicate with the current president of the Herceg Novi Municipal Assembly on this issue, but without success due to Ivan Otović's lack of interest in the topic.
The Council said that one of the more serious resistances to the erection of the monument comes from the local level and that this should finally be acknowledged, respected and understood.
"We support the previously presented proposal by Vujović to clearly emphasize on the memorial (monument, memorial plaque) that the citizens of the Municipality of Herceg Novi did not participate or contribute to this crime in any way. Responsibility should be clearly addressed to the then-convocation of the Government of Montenegro," the statement says.
A memorial gathering, marking the 33rd anniversary of the deportation, will be held on Monday, at 12 noon, in front of the main entrance to the Herceg Novi Security Department.
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