After the State Department's latest report on the state of human rights in Montenegro, we note with regret that the tradition of their violation continues, as well as lukewarm responses from the Government and institutions to this phenomenon, reported the non-governmental organization (NGO) 35mm.
He said this on the occasion of the new report of the State Department, in which there were no significant changes in the state of human rights in Montenegro during 2023.
"In the report, which is full of analyzes that reveal significant shortcomings and weak reactions of officials regarding their removal and sanctioning of those who ignore the laws - we especially apostrophize the attitude of officials towards the media, and the inappropriate pressure on their work by the former technical mandate holder Abazović and the current president Milatović on which we pointed out last year. In addition, the death threats and intimidation of the media that criticize the work of officials - Pobjeda, CDM, Antena M, among others," states the statement of NGO 35mm signed by Darko Ivanović, executive director.
According to him, it is a trend that does not abate, whoever is in power
"Even, now, the former young hopes of Montenegrin politics. We conclude that the autocratic gene is difficult to overcome once you sit in the chair, and then, as if by key, your first target is the media," he said.
Ivanović assessed that, as he said, the hunt against Boban Batrićević, "as an inquisitorial method adopted by the prosecution in response to a critical review of the activities of the "untouchable" SPC, received a special place in the report, which, in our opinion, clearly apostrophizes the attitude of the prosecution towards the publicly expressed attitude, the basis of democracy. When the prosecution initiates such processes, then the political influence on it is the least worrying thing. Namely, this is how open dictatorships behave."
"Finally, when the report contains words such as 'serious problems for the independence of the judiciary', 'serious restrictions on freedom of expression - including threats of violence against journalists, serious government corruption, widespread gender-based violence, human trafficking, violent crimes or threats of violence against members of the LGBTQ+ community and others": then it is clear where this fragile ship is sailing, and that its sail called the IBAR report is just a populist masthead if serious work is not done to eliminate systemic corruption, politicization of institutions, and the general trend of human rights violations , and attacks, pressures, and intimidation of the media," Ivanovic said.
He said that if we do not see that the government tackles the aforementioned loopholes in the system and breaks the trend of all predecessors, "there remains a serious fear that for the political elite these warnings from the USA are just part of everyday political folklore and ordinary news that lasts for three days. "
"Until then, the media, activists, members of vulnerable groups and generally residents of the "first next member" will watch the constant repetition of the populist play for international partners, in which the growing support of the population for joining the EU is falsely interpreted as an achievement of the politicians, and not the cry of the citizens for such a system it does not provide adequate protection or basic democratic rights," he concluded.
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