Ten to Eight – Pandemic not subsiding
You are reading a daily contextual review of the news that marked the previous day.
By Ljubomir Filipović, CdM observer
The situation in the country is dramatic. The number of newly infected people doesn’t fall below 500 a day, and for several days now the number of the dead has risen to 18, as it was yesterday. The ministry still hasn’t got a solution, nor does it know how to communicate with the public. Late measures have yielded results in Budva and Tivat, for example. And the number of the infected in my city has already dropped to about 100, while the number of the newly infected on a daily basis is now in single digits. Prior to the introduction of the measures demanded by the mayor, the number of those infected was close to 1,000, and over 100 people became infected every day. President of Montenegro Milo Đukanović has also said that it was high time that the competent authorities harmonized their activities and policies with the dramatic health situation in Montenegro.
Montenegro is at the very bottom in Europe in terms of the level of vaccination. If vaccination in Montenegro continues at this rate, it will take 6.7 years for vaccination (2 doses) of 75% of the population, according to estimates published by Bloomberg.
Deputy PM Dritan Abazović announced from Brussels that the first vaccines from the EU will arrive on 31 March. While we’re waiting, the CGO recommends that the Government launch a vaccination information campaign asap.
The Government held a press conference to announce measure changes. Tivat and Budva will be relieved tomorrow, while in some cities the measures have been tightened. Many citizens complained on social media that they had a problem understanding the measures and that after the conference it wasn’t clear to them where certain measures should apply.
Abazović in Brussels, day 2
Speaking yesterday before the EU Foreign Affairs Committee, Deputy PM Dritan Abazović asked European partners for understanding when it comes to changes in prosecutorial laws, stating that their change was aimed at a better fight for the rule of law. A recording of his speech soon appeared in which he spoke in very poor English, using inappropriate vocabulary and gestures, about Russian and Chinese influence on Montenegro. It’s not a shame not to know a foreign language, but for the record, it’s better to take an interpreter with you.
Mr Abazović‘s coalition partner and companion Mr Milan Knežević commented and criticized the performance of his “brother Dritan” and his criticism of China and Russia.
EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi expressed satisfaction with the stay of Montenegrin Deputy PM Dritan Abazović in Brussels, and concluded that it was crucial to fulfill the temporary determinants of the rule of law and continue reforms with real determination on the path to EU accession. Mr Várhelyi also spoke about the new methodology.
Nikšić
Although they distanced themselves from the “nationalist” DF, which “has bosses in Belgrade”, the leaders of the Democrats and URA from Nikšić, Messrs. Momo Koprivica and Tatjana Bečanović Đurišić, accepted Mr Marko Kovačević‘s invitation and met with him yesterday to discuss the formation of the local government. “We emphasized the hope that everything would end quickly and efficiently”, Mr Kovačević said briefly. On the other hand, the DPS gave a hint that they would be ready to minority support the Democrats to form the government in the city if they decide to exclude the DF from the process.
After the victory celebration with tricolor flags and trucks in Nikšić on Sunday and Monday, supporters of the DPS and Montenegrin parties and organizations gathered in the city yesterday, and measures were violated during this event. It should be emphasized that the DPS as well as the DF and other parties and leaders had previously called on people to stay at their homes and celebrate there.
Mr Zlatko Vujović, as a guest on the show called Different Radio Connection, reiterated that the Nikšić voter list contained almost 1,000 people registered in the voter list of Serbia. When it comes to the upcoming elections in Herceg Novi, he said that he would not be surprised if there were 10,000 of those registered in such a way.
Criminal charges pressed against Čirgić
Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Vesna Bratić has filed 4 criminal charges against the Dean of the Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature, Prof. Adnan Čirgić. Mr Čirgić was questioned by the police regarding the charges. The reason for this was the protest of professors and students of the faculty due to the systematic harassment of the faculty by this Government, which refused to pay the faculty funds for its work. Apart from this, the man who was informally appointed to lead the culture department, Mr Dragan Koprivica, provoked the public by saying that it was unnecessary to have “two faculties” and by publicly attacking and discrediting Mr Čirgić and other faculty members.
Miscellaneous
Fuel prices in Montenegro have risen several times in the new year and the result is 30% more expensive fuel and prices in the range of Luxembourg today. The SDP calls on both this and the previous government to reduce excise duties. Although they have fiercely criticized the former government at every price increase, the current leaders are silent and only increase the prices, because all those salaries should be paid from the excise duties to the party-affiliated employees hired these days.
Mr Adnan Čirgić gave an interview to Al Jazeera about the situation in Montenegro.
Croatian analyst Davor Đenero also commented on the situation in our country for Gradski (City) Radio.
That’s it for today. See you tomorrow at the same time and at the same place.
