Good morning. You’re reading a daily contextual review of the news that marked the previous day.
By Ljubomir Filipovic, CdM observer
Russian-Serbian tour
Andrija Mandic and Milan Knezevic were in Moscow, met with their supporters, politicians, advertised Sputnjik, met with representatives of companies interested in shipbuilding and the Port of Bar, and then, they went to Belgrade so that the new, just like the old patriarch, can declare them guardians of the interests of the Serbian church in Montenegro. Now we shall see whether the Serbian Metropolitan in MNE Joanikije would continue to back the other current of the Serbian policy, or the Patriarch is to have the last word in that matter.
Most important diplomatic topics
If there’s a ministry which should get the lowest grades during this government’s tenure, it’d be the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They reached no results in the area of EU, created scandals, had scandalous appointments, such as the appointment of a supporter of the Chetnik movement as the ambassador in Sarajevo. Along with a bunch of pending consular matters and many other Montenegro citizens abroad who need assistance, the Minister is giving pathetic statements over a man detained in Pristina. Please provide the necessary consular assistance to that man, regardless of what he had done, but don’t present his bad behavior as a heroic deed.
Green flag
The green flag, a.k.a. Gaetusa, was designed in the 1990s to honor the medal to the participants in the Christmas Uprising in Montenegro. Although many perceive it as Montenegrin extremism, it was promoted by members of the LSCG as an expression of resistance to the Serbian occupation. It became popular after last year’s events. The Serbian and Vojvodina politician Nenad Canak has once said that “those who do not respect the red flag will be seeing the green one”. Speaking in a TV show hosted by Milomir Maric, he displayed the green flag that he recently received as a gift in Cetinje.
Getting out of crisis
Although many see the exit from the crisis in various combinations – from the transitional government, the coalition of URA and Democrats with the DPS and ethnic minority parties and similar fantasies – new elections would be the most honest solution. I don’t think the ruling majority has courage to compete again, but I do agree with what Fatmir Djeka suggests.
Termination of agreement with US
The Government of Montenegro stated that they need to continue with the activities, based on a mutually acceptable model, with the aim of finding the most appropriate administrative procedures for the termination of the bilateral immunity agreement with the US. This is suggested in the Information on the state of EU accession negotiations – a part of the document referring to Chapter 31 (foreign and security policy) – adopted at the latest government session, reports Dan daily.
Continuation of persecution of investors
Dukley Marina Budva announced that with today’s conclusion of the agreement between the Public Company “Morsko dobro” and the Municipality of Budva, by which the Port of Budva is ceded to the municipality, roughly violates contracts with foreign investors, and puts political goals above the rule of law. The company that runs the Port of Budva thinks that, as they say, it was fair to terminate the contract due to some political or other goals, but it’s disputable that they’re doing it through such legal violence and degrading the reputation of the Port of Budva and the entire Montenegro.
Populism in opposition, opportunism in power
In Montenegro, the price of all types of fuel will go up by 2-4 cent per liter from midnight, the Ministry of Capital Investments announced. Social Democrat MP Boris Mugosa commented on the latest increase in fuel prices, emphasizing that it would not be bad to remind the public how the current government talked about rising fuel prices while it was in opposition.
Over 50% of women on the list
I try to avoid the conflict of interests and not talk much in our morning briefings about activities of the Civic Initiative 21st of May, as I’m its member, but the decision to have 41 women on the list deserves to be emphasized.
That’s all for today. Until tomorrow.
