Koprivica: Nationalistic themes are once again being used for political showdowns, tragedies are being abused to score points

The Executive Director of the Center for Democratic Transition (CDT), Dragan Koprivica, assessed that nationalist themes in Montenegro and the region are once again being used for daily political showdowns, warning that human tragedies have been misused for years to score political points. Appearing on Boje jutra, on TV Vijesti, Koprivica commented on the current political tensions caused by statements about Ulcinj, Serbia's reactions to the presence of Montenegrin representatives at the celebration of Operation Storm, as well as relations in the region.

"Electoral nationalism is very often used for current political battles. Old patterns are repeated, and such topics become a means of resolving political conflicts," said Koprivica.

Commenting on Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić's statements about Montenegro, Koprivica believes that they were not directed only at Podgorica.

"I think those messages were also directed at Andrija Mandić. Vučić is obviously not happy with the way Mandić has been behaving lately, so he sent a political message to him through the story about Montenegro," Koprivica pointed out.

He added that such topics are often used to divert attention from internal political problems. Speaking about marking the anniversary of Operation Storm, Koprivica said that the tragedy of the Serb population in Croatia has been used for political purposes for decades.

"The least thought is given to the people who lost their homes and lived in those areas for hundreds of years. Their tragedy has been abused for years for political propaganda," he said.

Koprivica reminded that the presence of Montenegrin representatives at the commemoration of Operation Storm is not new.

"Montenegro has sent its representatives before, mainly at the diplomatic level. It is only in recent years that reactions to this have become much harsher and more politically intense," Koprivica said.

According to him, especially after 2018, this topic has gained significantly greater political importance in relations between Serbia and Montenegro.