You’re reading a daily contextual review of the news that marked the previous day.
By Ljubomir Filipović, CdM observer
Leposavić’s departure
The Prime Minister was obviously cornered during the weekend. Although he used to claim that all ministers are untouchable and although Mr Abazović defended him [Leposavić] while speaking in a TV show on the public broadcaster, RTCG, telling that Minister Leposavić hadn’t denied the genocide, an extraordinary press conference was organized yesterday morning. The PM addressed the nation and told he was going to initiate Minister Leposavić’s dismissal. It’s evident that the Minister didn’t want to resign and that the PM was forced to do it.
The opposition as well as the civic society welcomed the PM’s move, while the Serbian world on the internet reacted strongly. Soon after, supporters of this government gathered and went out on the streets of Bar, Berane, Nikšić and Podgorica, clearly showing they did not back such PM’s gesture.
All those people who were offending us for months and weeks on end, now jutted out over PM Krivokapić, claiming that “there was no genocide in Srebrenica”. They chanted this during the protest and the same was written on their banners.
Mr Vučić’s hawks couldn’t wait for this to happen and here’s what headlines in Serbia say. Minister Vulin, a Cerberus on duty in Serbia, made a statement. A rally was organized in Belgrade in front of the Montenegrin embassy where they burned our flag during religious processions last year. This time, they “only” activated a smoke bomb.
The entire situation now completely blocks the government. Literally everyone lost trust in it, except maybe URA and Civis. After this, PM Krivokapić lost support of the hardcore nationalist Serbian wing who helped him become the prime minister. It’ll be interesting to watch the entire situation. It can be overshadowed only by a large-scale arrest.
Parties’ reactions
The DPS believes this was a forced move, the SDP and the Bosniak Party welcomed the PM’s gesture. The Liberal Party required dismissals of everyone who backed Mr Leposavić, “including Abazović”. As for the government, the Croatian media described the events as the creation of the “super-Serbian bloc”. This is close to the truth, having in mind the reactions of certain parties. The Democratic Front, DF, said they would not vote for Mr Leposavić’s dismissal, that is, its members – Mr Mandić and Mr Radunović – told it, while the latter even dared to say that Mr Leposavić said what every Serb in Montenegro thinks. The SNP and the Real Montenegro [in Montenegrin: Prava Crna Gora] shared the DF’s opinion. The Democrats also jumped into this ultra-Serbian train, justifying their lack of support for Mr Leposavić’s dismissal with the fact that they “won’t join the DPS” in voting. Despite mass protests in front of the parliament and people who were telling that they betrayed Kosovo.
We wish to remind of the petition for Minister Leposavić’s dismissal launched and backed by all the opposition parties and a civic movement.
Controversial views of Nevenka Ćirović Bošković of the Democrats
Ex-journalist of the public broadcaster, RTCG, and the Democrats official, Ms Nevenka Ćirović Bošković, who’s now doing something in the government, has been sharing controversial views on the internet for days on end, concerning her misogynistic positions and the entire situation with Mr Leposavić. The celebration, the euphoria that Nevenka expressed after the victory, often crossed the boundaries of taste, and because of that, her name became a synonym for those women who people call Karen in the U.S. and Slavica in Serbia. The whole thing with Mr Leposavić turned out to be a short seasonal affair for those who were gloating during autumn. Autumn kisses, spring tears – as Mr Andrej Nikolaidis told in our yesterday’s private conversation, paraphrasing Elvis’s famous song.
Many politicians and activists condemned her behavior, and the ruling Mr Zukorlić’s SPP as well, asking the Democrats whether they share her views.
It’s all for today. Until tomorrow.
