After the meeting with the Minister of Transport and Maritime Affairs and U.S. Ambassador, Ms Judy Rising Reinke, representatives of the Seafarers Union are still in fear of not being allowed to enter the USA.
They said they weren’t satisfied with the way state administration reacted, stating that state authorities failed to show synchronized engagement.
U.S. Ambassador said on Sunday that giving visas to Montenegrin seafarers was going according to plan and that there were no additional restrictions regarding that matter.
“According to the information US Embassy has, there are no additional restrictions. That’s what Ms Reinke said, which means that nothing’s for sure and that’s concerning us. Our administration failed to address this problem the way it deserves to be addressed”, said the representatives of the Seafarers Union.
Several cases of drug smuggling involving Montenegrin seafarers lead to spread of unofficial information that our seafarers won’t be allowed to enter the USA.
“The whole mass was caused by disseminating and spreading misinformation. Seafarers are stigmatized in general, although every profession has at least one dishonest individual. The image and reputation of seafarers are tarnished”, said the representatives of the Seafarers Union.
They think that state authorities should have reacted in a synchronized manner.
According to them, questions of the implementation of international conventions are still open, or that convent ions have been adapted to Montenegrin reality and to the “needs of a narrow circle of people”.
“Although we have been pointing out what really bothers us and what could lead to even bigger problems in future, we got nothing but minimal, short-term cosmetic amendments to the laws related to our profession”, said the representatives of the Seafarers Union.
