You are reading a daily contextual review of the news that marked the previous day.
By Ljubomir Filipovic, CdM observer
Bojanic’s agents on assignment
In September, I was in Zagreb at the invitation of the Croatian security community to present what has been happening in Montenegro in the last two years. After that stay and events in Cetinje, Croatia has been standing by Montenegro stronger than ever. What I said in front of the Croatian and international security elite at the time bothered many. Porfirije quickly changed from a conciliator to a hated man in Croatia, and Bishop Jovan Culibrk, who is enthroned in Pakrac, is also viewed with suspicion.
The night after my arrival in Zagreb, two men appeared at the reception and immediately took a photo of me while checking in. The photo appeared on well-known extremist sites after less than a few hours. At first, I didn’t take this seriously, until the same situation happened the other night. After that, I informed the police in the morning, because the man was following me and taking photos in the elevator. Very quickly, threats arrived from the Chetnik pages – “we know where you are”, “BIA is at your feet” and similar nonsense. However, the Croatian police did not find it funny, so they brought security to the hotel, and checked my car for explosives with a special unit and trained dogs.
I have known for some time who it is, and yesterday a presentation was published in Croatia that connects the Karadaglic brothers with sneaking, taking photos and sending them to addresses in Montenegro. They are Drazen, who is an associate of Minister Bojanic, and his brother Dejan, a lecturer at the Caledonian University in Glasgow. Bojanic’s ministry was persistently refusing to provide information about Karadaglic’s engagement with them for a long time, and yesterday the minister rebelled because I mentioned him on Twitter. Dejan is a big fan of the Kremlin and Russian propaganda, which can be seen on his Facebook profile.
In general, I am glad that this chapter has closed, and Messrs. Karadaglic are now probably on the scanner of the competent services in the West, so if they are just tourists and Greater Serbia enthusiasts, then they have nothing to worry about.
Protest in Cetinje today
Due to the suspension of funding and the abolition of the security service by the Government, the employees of the Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Culture (FCJK) are to hold a protest today at noon in front of the building of the former Ministry of Culture in Cetinje.
Becic not talking to Abazovic
Parliament Speaker and the Democrats’ leader Aleksa Becic said that he had not had the opportunity to talk to the Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the URA Civic Movement Dritan Abazovic for a long time, saying that the party could not forget personal insults and set-ups through statements sent in the previous period.
Becic’s party, on the other hand, shifts the story of the agreement to the coalition to URA and DF, and is ready for everything. They wash their hands of every scenario and guard the electorate.
New government’s loss-making companies
Yesterday, the Ministry of Capital Investments presented a nine-month report on the operations of majority state-owned companies, according to which the Montenegrin power distribution system CEDIS operated with the largest net loss of €3.4m. The report also showed that the most people were employed in CEDIS, Montenegro’s power supplier, EPCG, Pljevlja’s Rudnik Uglja coal mining company, Airports of Montenegro and the Railway Infrastructure of Montenegro, ZICG. After CEDIS, the biggest loss-making companies are ToMontenegro – €2.6m loss, Barska Plovidba shipping company – €2.5m, Crnogorska Plovidba shipping company – €1.3m.
Continuation of highway construction
Minister of Capital Investments Mladen Bojanic said that a preliminary project is being prepared for the second section of the Bar – Boljare highway from Matesevo to Andrijevica, which should be completed by May.
“As for the second part from Andrijevica to Boljare, a conceptual solution is being prepared. Monteput is in charge of that business. We think, optimistically, that we can expect to start the implementation of this second section by the end of the year. We are counting on funds from European funds and a 40% grant for that. One section will cost €400 – €450m. Matesevo-Boljari is around 70 km long and we think that it will cost about €850m”, stated the Minister, answering journalists’ questions at yesterday’s press conference.
MPs’ salaries and 1,999 euros for Becic
A list of October MPs’ salaries has been published on the website of the Parliament of Montenegro.
Branko Radulovic received the highest net salary (excluding taxes and contributions) in the previous month – €2,220.48, and Draginja Vuksanovic Stankovic received the lowest – €300.78. Ivan Brajovic, Strahinja Bulajic, Slaven Radunovic, Branka Bosnjak and Miodrag Lekic received over €2,000.
That’s it for today. See you tomorrow at the same time, in the same place.
