A group of NGOs and civic activists supported the protest in Cetinje: Instead of dialogue and fulfilling demands, the government is ignoring them

"After the obvious failures of the institutions in that case, as well as in the actions of the police, no serious reforms have been implemented that would prevent such a tragedy from being repeated," the statement said.

4598 views 30 reactions 6 comment(s)
Illustration, Photo: Shutterstock
Illustration, Photo: Shutterstock
Disclaimer: The translations are mostly done through AI translator and might not be 100% accurate.

A group of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civic activists have expressed support for a protest by the families of those killed and wounded in two mass murders in Cetinje, which will be held on Tuesday, August 12 at 15 p.m., at the Lovćenska Vila monument in Cetinje, on the third anniversary of the first massacre in this city.

"In the crime committed in the Cetinje settlement of Medovina on August 12, 2022, 10 people were killed, including two children. After the obvious failures of the institutions in that case, as well as in the actions of the police, no serious reforms were implemented that would prevent such a tragedy from being repeated.

"Unfortunately, on January 1st of this year, 13 more citizens of Cetinje lost their lives in a new mass murder, including two children. None of those responsible took political or institutional responsibility - the Minister of Internal Affairs did not offer his resignation, but rather told citizens that same evening to 'return to normal life'. None of the top security officials or Prime Minister Milojko Spajić appeared at the commemoration for the victims," the statement, which the Center for Civic Education (CCE) submitted to the media on behalf of all signatory NGOs and civic activists, emphasizes.

As stated in the statement, the families of the victims have been blocking the road at Kruševo Ždrijelo every day since February 5 this year, demanding that responsibility be established and that further crimes be prevented.

"Instead of dialogue and fulfilling the demands, the government ignores them, accuses them of obstructing the tourist season and tries to limit their constitutional right to protest through amendments to the Law on Public Assembly. We remind you that the United Nations, the Council of Europe, as well as Montenegrin non-governmental organizations and the legal community have reacted against this attempt to limit the right guaranteed by the Constitution of Montenegro, as well as international acts to which Montenegro is a signatory.

"We call on all citizens who sympathize with the families of the victims and believe that institutions must be responsible to come to Lovćen Villa on August 12 at 15 pm and support the families of the victims in their fight for a safer Montenegro, in which tragedies are not repeated, and justice and responsibility are not empty words," the statement concludes.

The signatories of the announcement are:

Daliborka Uljarević, Center for Civic Education (CCE)

Tea Gorjanc Prelević, Human Rights Action (HRA)

Maja Raičević, Center for Women's Rights

Nevenka Vuksanović, Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CEDEM)

Jovan Ulićević, SPEKTRA Association

Ervina Dabižinović, Center for Women's and Peace Education ANIMA

Marina Vujačić, Association of Disabled Youth of Montenegro (UMHCG)

Andro Martinović, Regional Cooperation Initiative of Montenegro (Igman Initiative)

Nikoleta Đukanović, Sociological Center of Montenegro SOCEN

Slavica Striković, Women's Action

Zlatko Vujović, Center for Monitoring and Research (CeMI)

Aleksandra Radoman Kovačević, Center for Training and Education

Nebojša Vučinić, Alumni of the Academy of the Faculty of Law, University of Montenegro

Dubravka Raičević, NGO Mare Mare

Miloš Marković, Active Zone

Aida Perović, NGO PRIMA

Zenepa Lika, Dr Martin Schneider-Jacoby Assoc Society – MSJA

Jovana Janjušević, Center for Bird Protection and Research (CZIP)

Ivana Vujovic, Juventus

David Vukićević, Youth Activism Network of Montenegro (MOACG)

Almedina Dodić, Eduko Plus

Azra Vuković, Green Home

Filip Kuzman, Antifascists of Cetinje

Milena Popović Samardžić, Ipso Facto

Staša Baštrica, Queer Montenegro

Ivan Martinović, Montenegrin Science and Technology Hub - epiSTEMe

Jovana Marović, civic activist

Dina Bajramspahić, civic activist

Dušan Pajović, civic activist

Milena Bešić, civil activist

Duška Pejović, civic activist

Danijel Kalezić, civic activist

Marko Begović, civic activist

Tamara Milaš, civic activist

Emir Pilav, civic activist

Mila Kasalica, civic activist

See more: