There’s an American expression “cutting off the nose to spite your face”, and I’m afraid that’s what Mr Dritan Abazović would do if he decides to set up the radical-Serb-dominated coalition. Yes, it’d be much easier for him to control Mr Milo Đukanović, but, is it worth it? – a professor at the John Hopkins University and ex-advisor to Mr Joe Biden, Mr Michael Haltzel, told Pobjeda daily.
I first met Đukanović in fall of 1994. He was visiting the United States and requested a meeting with then-Senator Joe Biden. It wasn’t a surprise that Biden had never heard of the unusual 32-year-old Balkan politician, but I invited the senator to meet him. My argument then was the same as it is today: regardless of his mistakes (and they are not trivial), Đukanović has three basic principles that we should support: 1. the independence of Montenegro (he hinted it back in 1994); 2. Joining the Euro-Atlantic community; 3. He bases his political power on a multiethnic coalition of Montenegrins, Serbs, Albanians, Bosniaks / Muslims and Croats. In the past 26 years, Đukanović has achieved almost all of these goals – membership in the European Union is still ongoing.
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After many readings and numerous talks, I believe that under Đukanović’s ruling, Albanians of Montenegro have been far better integrated into the country’s life than any other Albanian minority in the Western Balkans.
How is that going to change under the Serb-dominated coalition? Well, we needed only a day to witness violation over Muslims in the town of Pljevlja. Even if the Montenegrin-Serbian politicians didn’t order it to happen, their racist views are quite familiar and encourage their supporters to do so. Sounds familiar?
Regardless of recent statement of Mr Zdravko Krivokapić and other leaders of the opposition parties, it’s not easy to believe them when they say they care about the EU. Or even worse, that they’re for it but only if Montenegro accedes to the EU alongside Serbia. Do you have any idea how long it would take?
I’ve never met Mr Abazović. His biography tells he’s extremely clever and seems to be ready to become a national leader. Moreover, his current post-election position is quite strong compared to President Đukanović’s if he decides to use it.
One day, when the Covid-19 pandemic is under control, I would like to meet Mr Abazović. Until then, he should know that there are people in the United States who care about Montenegro, who care about Albanians and who want to see that the Western Balkans will finally join the Euro-Atlantic community. And his decision regarding the next Montenegrin government will play a key role in achieving or defeating that goal.
(The author is a senior fellow at Johns Hopkins University and president of the Transatlantic Leadership Network. He was a European policy adviser to Joseph R. Biden Jr. from 1994 to 2005. He was honored by seven European Union countries).
