After a blockade lasting several hours, the citizens of Zeta have unblocked the roads through Zeta, and they are no longer in front of Podgorica Airport.
They had earlier gathered in front of Podgorica Airport where, as said by the president of the Democratic People's Party (DNP), Milan Knežević, they wanted to talk to Prime Minister Milojko Spajić.
Knežević previously said that they had information that Spajić was allegedly scheduled to travel to Vienna from that airport this afternoon.
Police in riot gear arrived at the airport earlier.
Knežević told the gathered citizens that he tried to call Spajić, but that the Prime Minister had turned off the phone.
"We had no intention of violently invading the airport or in any way threatening the safety of Spajić and President Milatović. We only wanted guarantees that he, as prime minister, would do everything possible to withdraw the police from Botun and to continue the dialogue regarding what they did yesterday," he said.
But, as he said, "even when you don't have an answer, that's the answer."
He suggested to the citizens that tomorrow at 11 a.m., if no agreement is reached between Interior Minister Danilo Šaranović and the residents of Botun, they should gather with "all available machinery" and "set out to liberate Botun."
Those present exclaimed: "That's right."
He also asked that citizens be allowed unhindered passage through the roundabout to the airport until then, as the citizens of Zeta blocked traffic at that location at 10 am this morning.
"We do not want a conflict with the police and the state, but parts of the state obviously want a conflict with the citizens of Zeta. Tomorrow we will do everything to prevent a conflict," said Knežević.
He asked Spajić and Šaranović to "think about it until tomorrow at noon."
"If the answer is negative and the police do not withdraw, no one can know what consequences Montenegro will face. We do not want that, but we are ready to defend every inch of Zeta land from the violent occupation of corrupt politicians from the capital and parts of the government," said the DNP leader.
Knežević previously told a police officer in front of the airport that they wanted to talk to Spajić "about the new situation and problems in Botun."
"We want a peaceful dialogue and conversation with the Prime Minister and we want you to allow us to enter Zeta airport. We do not want incidents, violent behavior or attempts to break into the airport."
He asked the police officer to contact the Prime Minister's security and ask him to come out and talk to the citizens.
The policeman explained to him that access to the border crossing was only allowed to passengers, to which Knežević said that they did not want to talk to Spajić inside the airport, but rather that they wanted him to come out and address the citizens.
Earlier today, citizens of Zeta blocked traffic on the roundabout towards the airport, and police blocked their passage to the construction site of the wastewater treatment plant in Botun.
Citizens returned to the roundabout after being unable to approach the construction site, where work on the construction of the facility began yesterday.
The blockade of the road to the airport also involved the mechanization of Zeta utility companies.
When the citizens headed towards Botun earlier today, they got off the main road and took a local road through Srpska towards that settlement.
The column was led by the machinery of the Zeta Municipality utility company.
A strong police force in riot gear passed by the "Vijesti" reporter and headed down another rural road towards Botun, through the Zeta village of Ljajkovići.
The blockade of the roundabout towards the airport began around 10 am, and citizens gathered to protest yesterday's police intervention during the clearing of a plot in Botun for the construction of a wastewater treatment plant.
During the blockade, the president of the Democratic People's Party (DNP), Milan Knežević, called for a "march to Botun" at noon.
There were also children in the column that was preparing to head towards Botun.
Video: Tina Popovic
During the blockade of the roundabout, a small number of Police Department officers were present, and the citizens did not allow the police car to pass, but it returned across the lawn.
Video: Boris Pejović
The gathered citizens told them to go "to protect (Alex) Bečić."
Video: Boris Pejović
DNP President Milan Knežević announced that he will wait for the New Year at the roundabout, alongside the citizens of Zeta.
He also said that there will be blockades on several road routes through Zeta.
"These citizens here expect, given that Milojko Spajić announced that he wants to talk, that he should come here to talk to the citizens of Zeta, because we will no longer allow the humiliation or belittling of the citizens of Zeta. Go to Botun today to see how big the police force is in Botun, to see what the police are doing to the citizens of Botun, searching houses, searching every vehicle...", said Knežević.
He claims that Turkish companies "have clearly corrupted a significant number of officials."
"I'm also thinking of Saša Mujović. Now let me ask him - where did he get the boutique in Budva from? Was that part of the deal they made with the Turks, or were there other deals? They think that because they are corrupt, they will be able to endanger the environment in Zeta and underestimate these people."
Video: Boris Pejović
He reiterated that he would propose to the DNP Presidency that they leave the Government and local government in Podgorica.
"If the Presidency does not accept it, which I doubt the Presidency will accept, I will resign as party president and MP, and I will come here with these people to protect the interests of the citizens of Zeta."
Video: Boris Pejović
When asked how long they plan to be at the roundabout and what the plan is for today, Knežević said: "As long as necessary, I will make a decision together with the citizens of Zeta. This will not be the only blockade in Zeta today. In the coming hours, you will see where all the blockades will be in the Zeta area."
He did not want to say where the blockade would be today, because Prime Minister Spajić "probably planned to celebrate New Year's somewhere along the coast."
"And these gentlemen are his ministers, so now they will have to guess where, what and how to get through. I invite him once again, if he has any brains, to come and talk to these people, because these are not cattle, but people who dominantly supported him to reach these positions. He was here at the roundabout when he needed the people of Zeća, together with President Milatović, and then he decided to send us the police. If he wants dialogue, he has to come here, or he will face blockades as long as we have the strength for it," said Knežević.
Video: Boris Pejović
He announced that the people of Zeća will also visit the Turkish Embassy and the Capital City Assembly.
"We will visit all those involved in this shameful action," he said, adding that in the coming days he will "conduct activities throughout Podgorica."
Knežević also announced his departure to Botun, when "a sufficient crowd is created."
"You can see how many people are at the roundabout and you can see that these people are ready to carry out a series of activities in the coming period that will result in the interruption of the works. Let them not think that we will give up because the police have occupied Botun. If necessary, we will go to Botun, the moment a sufficient crowd gathers to visit the construction site."
Video: Boris Pejović
Knežević then called on everyone to start a "march to Botun" at noon.
"There are no excuses, everyone - march on Botun. Let's send them a message that they cannot arrest our village and our people from Zeća."
Video: Tina Popovic
Asanović: We will paralyze the entire state and the companies of the Capital City
Municipal President Mihailo Asanović recalled that the citizens of Zeta clearly said "no" to the plant.
"The gentlemen from the Capital City, I am primarily referring to Mayor Mujović and the Director of Vodovod, probably had some obligations that they took on from DPS, whether this is corruption, that should be determined by the prosecution, because they started pushing through a project that they took on, about which they know nothing," he said.
He said that "they won't be able to behave like this with Zeta."
"We have a blockade here now, we will have more in some places. We will very likely block in the coming period so that no one can go to the other part of the coast. We will paralyze the entire country. We will very soon block the Capital City building, 'Vodovod', the 'Putevi' base, all municipal companies in Podgorica, so if we can't function, they won't be able to either."
Video: Boris Pejović
According to him, Botun is blocked, and "the entire Montenegrin police force is there at the moment."
"Two police officers were in Budva. And there was a murder there yesterday. Šćepanović, Šaranović and Bečić should also resign for that," Asanović said, and at the mention of Bečić, "shame on him" was heard.
Asanović told Spajić that he would "very soon see who the people of Zeća are".
"Zeta is the hub of all of Montenegro, it is connected to both the south and the north. Botun is located near the Cetinje highway, so we will block that place as well," he said.
If Spajić wants blockades, as Asanović said, "they will happen to him every day."
"I'm telling him that he can come and talk, on the condition that he removes the sign from Botun, and we will visit it very soon, on foot from here. To remove the police that occupied Botun, to remove those Turks and the contractors, if he thinks he's talking to us. We will not forgive him for this and we will blockade the whole of Montenegro," Asanović said.
"Botunjani under total blockade"
Botun resident Dimitrije Raičković said that the settlement is "under a total blockade, like in the Gaza Strip."
Speaking about yesterday's events, he said that Montenegro does not remember that there were so many police in one place.
He also said that the people of Botunja are victims of repression and pressure.
"Doesn't Bečić know that an operation is being prepared and that they are doing this? He is lying to himself," said Raičković.
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