The proposal that one street in Berane bears the name of the convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić did not appear just like that. It was preceded by an action of erecting a monument to the Chetnik duke Pavle Đurišić in Gornji Zaostr, holding rallies at this place, writing graffiti of fascist contents during several years in several locations in the city, attacks on the Tomkić family… All these are attempts to dismantle the civic concept of the state, create a feeling of endangered security, and thus disrupt the centuries-old interfaith harmony in Montenegro, says in an interview for Dnevne Novine Mr Bogdan Fatić, MP and the president of the Berane DPS committee.
The storm over the decision of the Council that one street in Berane should bear the name of the convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić is still not calming down. Reactions came from all sides, including the Brussels administration. What is the situation in Berane today?
Mr Fatić: I am completely convinced that in Berane, the majority of citizens today are dominated by the idea of anti-fascism and tolerance and that such intentions are doomed to defeat. The Democratic Party of Socialists is doing its best to keep multinationalism a basic feature of Berane.
The international community condemned the proposal, and how did the Berane government react?
Mr Fatić: It is true that all relevant international factors reacted, condemning this proposal, and that fact is gratifying. At the same time, the fact that the leaders of the Berane local government are clumsily making statements from which their intentions are clearly recognized is worrying.
The Berane government is also made up of Democrats, who convince the citizens of Montenegro of their civic orientation. However, their representative also voted for the scandalous proposal. How do you comment on that?
Mr Fatić: It seems to me that the Democrats representative, in his way of voting at the session of the Council and supporting the mentioned proposal, legitimized his party in a way. It is obvious that it is their covert program commitments that have come to the fore this time and that they clearly show that they are a civic party only when it brings them a certain political benefit.
It was not only Ratko Mladić who was on the list of proposals for naming streets in Berane… Pavle Đurišić was also mentioned. Is that right? If so, how is it possible for such proposals to be the subject of discussion and decision-making in a country that inherits anti-fascism, which was recognized for its multiethnic and multi-religious harmony?
Mr Fatić: It is true that among the proposals there are those names that were collaborators of the occupiers in World War II. It is also true that the ruling parties supported such proposals. Members of the Council, from the ranks of the Democratic Party of Socialists, have repeatedly warned of violations of the Law, specifically Article 10 of the current Law on Memorials. It is particularly disappointing for every civic-oriented individual, the fact that the Minister in the Government publicly declared herself a “Chetnik woman”. This, of course, as the strongest opposition party, does not discourage us from continuing the fight not to allow convicted war criminals and fascist collaborators to get their streets in any city in Montenegro, let alone in Berane.
Can this proposal be seen as a kind of test balloon that would lead to changes in the Law on Memorials? Would such a proposal surprise you, considering who makes up the new majority in Montenegro?
Mr Fatić: If we keep in mind the way the state Government functions, I would say that these decisions look like coordinated ones! I am convinced that we have the strength to defeat these ideas. I believe that it is clear to everyone that the majority of Montenegro will never support such proposals! In all this, I would say, not only political but also civic ignorance, the reaction of the leader of the “civic movement” URA is most surprising.
We also have new cases of introducing fear and threats among national minorities, such as graffiti on the mosque in Nikšić…
Mr Fatić: The shameful graffiti that appeared on the mosque in Nikšić, as well as the desecration of the Osmanagić mosque in Podgorica, are an attempt to dismantle the civic concept of the state. I expect that the perpetrators and those who ordered such acts will be found, prosecuted and convicted.
Berane has long been exposed to provocations from the minority population. A Chetnik rally was held in that city last year, attended by some of the local government leaders, and a day later portraits of Draža Mihailović and Pavle Đurišić appeared in settlements with a Bosniak-Muslim population. Why is this happening to Berane?
Mr Fatić: Lately, unfortunately, various influences have been used to recompose the history of Berane. Our city is characterized by a historical duration of coexistence and tolerance. But from time to time, some tend to disrupt it. In recent days, it has come from those who do not recognize Montenegro, Montenegrins, Bosniaks, Muslims or Croats, and who want a mono-ethnic environment of their own.
The local elections in Nikšić are in focus on the Montenegrin political scene. According to media reports, Nikšić is literally under siege by the Serbian Orthodox Church, pro-Serbian parties, government officials in Serbia and the Republic of Srpska, agents of their security services… Many analysts from both Montenegro and the region warn that the situation smells of more serious incidents
Mr Fatić: The current socio-political image of Nikšić obviously represents a training ground for creating an uncontemporary political struggle with various para-political structures, not only from Montenegro but also from the surrounding countries.Following the current events in Nikšić during the previous period, it can easily be concluded that not only Nikšić is under siege, but above all, the independent Montenegro!I do not believe that in any developed country of the world, party activists from other countries can actively participate in elections.
As a man who has spent years in politics, I believe that the residents of Nikšić will know how to adequately respond to attempts of those trying to take their own city from their hands and put it in the hands of interested structures that come from outside the borders of Nikšić and Montenegro.
