Hajduković's lawsuit over the award of the Thirteenth of July Award: Mandić's lawlessness with the tacit blessing of Spajić and Milatović

We are transmitting Hajduković's address in its entirety:

"Five days ago, the jury for the award of the Thirteenth of July Award brazenly and knowingly violated Article 17 of the Law on State Awards of Montenegro, which is why the jury's decision is illegal and therefore invalid. Two of the three award winners accepted to receive an illegal award, which will be presented to them tonight as an accomplice to brazen lawlessness (behind which lies an arrogant sense of political omnipotence and impunity) by the President of the Parliament of Montenegro, Andrija Mandić, with the silence, i.e. the tacit blessing, of the President of the State, Milatović, Prime Minister Spajić, the Government (except for the Minister of Education and Science) and the Parliament. All of this is a terrifying human decline of Montenegro and its legal system, a decline in democracy and mutual respect.

That is why tomorrow, after tonight's award ceremony, I will file an already prepared lawsuit with the Administrative Court of Montenegro.

Let me remind you, Article 17 is not just any article, but the most important article that, in legal language, reflects the spirit and essence of the award in 89 words:

The annual Thirteenth of July Award is awarded for results of exceptional importance for Montenegro, achieved in the fields of cultural and artistic creativity, sports, natural and social sciences, economy, ecology, or for works or achievements in all areas of work and creativity that contribute to the development and affirmation of Montenegro.

A maximum of three annual Thirteenth of July Awards can be awarded each year.

Only one annual Thirteenth of July Award can be awarded in one area..

The law is clear: no more than one award can be given in one field. If three scientists win the award, that is illegal. If three athletes win the award, that is also illegal. If three artists win it, as is the case this year, that is also illegal. Such a violation of the law is brutal discrimination against candidates from all other fields of work and creativity.

The jury had time and should have met and, with a public apology, repeated the decision-making process. In accordance with the law, the first job of the jury is to group the candidates by the areas to which their work belongs and to choose the winner in each area by voting. This reduces the total number of candidates (which was 36 this year) to a maximum of 6 candidates from 6 different areas defined by law. Only after that does the jury choose the winners of the Thirteenth of July Award from among the previously selected winners by groups.

One should always distinguish between the essential and the unessential. In this case, the only essential goal is to put a stop to the systematic violation of the law on the awarding of the Thirteenth of July Award and the widespread discrimination of work and creativity outside the field of culture and art. The only way to achieve this goal is to file a lawsuit with the Administrative Court, which must declare this year's jury decision unlawful, after which the question of the criminal liability of the jury members for intentional violation of the law could also be raised.

I personally distance myself from all the ongoing controversies based on political profiteering, the national Serbian-Montenegrin conflict and focusing on the winners, but I insist on respecting the law. Such controversies distract attention from the basic goal, which is the interest of all citizens of Montenegro. A decision by the Constitutional Court that would forever stop lawlessness and arbitrariness in awarding the Thirteenth of July Award would be an inspiring example and encouragement to the probably overwhelming majority of 90% of citizens of Montenegro. The quality of the state is the only defense of the state and the basis of mutual respect among citizens", Hajduković announced.