On June 5, Montenegro officially became the 29th member of NATO. The situation in the country, the diplomatic crisis between Russia and Montenegro and the planned referendum on NATO membership were commented on in an interview with the newspaper "Izvestiya" by Andrija Mandić, the president of the "New Serbian Democracy" party and the first man of the opposition "Democratic Front".
"Blic" reports that according to Mandić, Montenegro has never had allies closer to it than Russia and Serbia. However, NATO countries have been investing financial resources for years in the creation of an anti-Russian and anti-Serbian Montenegro. Now, Mandic says, Montenegro needs the West to serve as a "Balkan aircraft carrier" in the fight against Moscow and Belgrade. Those who try to oppose it and who advocate for the preservation of relations with traditional allies are treated as the main enemies, the Russian Word reports.
"Blic" reports that Mandic accuses the ruling elite of carrying out all tasks received from Western politicians. According to him, the Montenegrin government acts in the interest of third countries and has selfish goals, and it doesn't matter to them that Montenegro itself suffers from the sanctions imposed on Russia.
In the interview, Andrija Mandić pointed out that he fully supports the proposal of the president of the Russian-Serbian-Montenegrin friendship society "Slovenski most" Ljubomir Radinović to adopt a resolution on the abolition of anti-Russian sanctions at the municipal level.
"We, as the main force of the opposition, will strive to have the declaration adopted by all local government bodies in the cities where the opposition is in power. The lifting of sanctions at the municipal level will be a powerful political gesture. It will contribute to the flow of Russian investments and tourists," said Mandic.
About the situation in Montenegro
According to Mandić, Montenegro is on the verge of civil conflicts. The rift in society deepened due to the accession to NATO, and the ruling regime began to use harsher methods to suppress the opposition. Repressions against opposition members have become routine, says the Montenegrin politician. Brute force is being used to disperse the demonstrations, which are being held continuously, because it is said that two-thirds of the citizens are against joining the alliance.
"Blic" writes that the West supports the Đukanović regime despite the fact that the Montenegrin authorities are violating basic civil rights. All the secret of Đukanović's rule, according to Andrija Mandić, lies precisely in this support.
"When there was a vote of confidence in the government more than a year ago in the parliament, American diplomats openly pressured a part of the opposition with a request to support Djukanovic's government. The USA wants to have another puppet state in the Balkans," said a Montenegrin opposition member.
What will happen if the opposition comes to power?
The opposition is now in power in 30 percent of municipalities (Budva, Kotor, Herceg Novi). In 2018, presidential elections and a campaign for municipal elections will be held in Montenegro in more than 10 Montenegrin cities.
According to Mandić, if the opposition comes to power, it will first of all revise its position on NATO.
"The majority of citizens are against the country's entry into the alliance, because NATO fighter planes bombed Montenegro even before they attacked Serbia. That is why, after the change of government, we will organize a referendum on membership in the military-political bloc, and thus Montenegro will be the first country which will leave NATO," he said.
In addition, according to Mandić, anti-Russian sanctions will be lifted and the recognition of Kosovo's independence will be annulled.
"Our main priority will be the restoration of relations with Russia and Serbia. On the other hand, we are ready to conduct a constructive dialogue with all neighbors, including EU and NATO members," added the representative of the Montenegrin opposition.
Bonus video:
