Nedjeljko Rudovic, the deputy leader of URA Civic Movement, told Pobjeda that the opposition should focus on the presidential and local elections in Podgorica and other municipalities that will be held next year.
Asked what the civil opposition should focus on, Rudovic says that “after spreading fear, the demonstration of force and another obvious election fraud in Cetinje, Mojkovac, Tuzi and Petnjica, the question arises again – whether it makes sense to run in the elections at all”.
“We all face such attitudes of our friends, members and supporters, and we are asking the same question to ourselves,” said Rudovic.
He adds that the alternative is a total boycott, civic disobedience and protests.
“In a situation in which we cannot count on cooperation among the entire opposition due to the stubborn DF’s policy, which is the best ally of DPS, it is a path full of risks that we must not spend by failing to use the remaining options. In my opinion, one of them is a continuous campaign that involves everyday presence among the citizens and communication with them, a direct conversation with every person who wants to be part of the wave of change and the gathering of all progressive parts of society,” said Rudovic.
As he said, URA Civic Movement will definitely do this. It also sees this as a moment to “seriously consider uniting of the parties of the civic opposition and their close cooperation and coordination”.
“The most important question for all of us is whether we are ready to do everything we can to beat them, regardless of the fact that they use all possible dishonest means of influencing the citizens. My answer is affirmative and I think we must focus on the presidential and local elections in Podgorica and other municipalities in May. The energy of freedom and change is much stronger than all mechanisms of poisoning, blackmail, bribing, pressures and threats, and our task is to sum it up. Opposition triumph in the capital will mark the beginning of a new era in Montenegrin politics – Rudovic said.
Asked if more radical moves, such as protests, could be expected from the civic opposition, Rudovic said that many believe that protests are the only way to achieve change “and that the people on the street is the only factor who set Montenegro free from the hinges that hinder Montenegro and keep it in a humiliating position”.
“We are all aware that this is the ultimate option. And we do not rule it out,” Rudovic says.
The civic opposition has held three meetings so far. After each meeting the opposition representatives said they would not give up the boycott of Parliament.
