You are reading a daily contextual review of the news that marked the previous weekend.
By Ljubomir Filipović, CdM observer
After Pobjeda published information that a fake American diplomat who was arrested last Sunday had been in Montenegro several times at URA’s expense, since it paid his hotel bills, URA reacted and admitted that it was his host. He is a man of extreme political views who spread Greater Serbia ideas on social networks. It is suspected that during his stay in the Podgorica hotel, invoiced at URA, he also stayed with an official of a pro-Russian extreme party from Serbia. URA justifies its action by the fact that a Western European country recommended that they should host him (?!).
Extremism in URA’s ranks?
A young activist close to URA and the signatory of the Black on White initiative, Mr Pavle Radević from Cetinje, coordinated an inauthentic action of reporting the CDM channel on Facebook. This is in line with the statements and intentions of URA’s leader, Mr Dritan Abazović, who previously attacked CDM and stressed that such media should be closed. On the profile of the young Mr Radević, I came across the information that he used a spinning wheel, a false Old Slavic symbol, a Slavic “swastika”, and a stylized “black sun” for his profile picture. I also received from Mr Pavel Klimenko, a Ukrainian activist and expert-researcher of the extreme right, as well as Mr Michael Colborn, a journalist and associate at the Center for the Analysis of the Radical Right from London, that it is a symbol used by the Russian and Ukrainian extreme right.
So much for today. Have a nice rest of the day.
Crime in URA’s ranks?
In yesterday’s police operation named Zamka (Trap) 24 people were arrested. They are accused of being organizers and members of a criminal organization that smuggled large quantities of marijuana, from Albania, through the territory of Montenegro, to the countries of the region and the countries of the European Union. Among the arrested is Mr Dalibor Marković from Ulcinj, a member of the Youth Forum of the URA Civic Movement, CDM was confirmed by the police. Yesterday’s police operation was welcomed by the Deputy Prime Minister and the leader of URA, Mr Dritan Abazović, but he did not state that a member of his party was also arrested.
Katnić’s condition
In a statement submitted to the media, Mr Milivoje Katnić informed the public that on 10 February he had an official conversation with the Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapić, who agreed on that occasion that, in case of resignation, he would ask the Democrats and URA MPs to give up the proposal to change the Lawon the State Prosecutor’s Office and the Law on the Special State Prosecutor’s Office.
Democrats and URA responded immediately, but the Prime Minister reacted in the same way – that he would not agree to blackmail. Mr Nebojša Medojević sent a similar message, although no one asked him anything.
Prosecutor’s Office, Democrats and the Savovićs?
With the Democrats, the dispute with the prosecution seems to have been more dramatic. Namely, after we learned that MPs Dragan Krapović and Boris Bogdanović were questioned in the police, it turned out that there were several reasons, but that Mr Mišo Savović, the son of prosecutor Živko Savović, who initiated proceedings against colleagues last week, was mentioned the most in Mr Krapović‘s case on the same day when the first-instance coup judgment was overturned at the Court of Appeals. It remains to be seen why Mr Mišo Savović is interesting to inspectors and the prosecution. According to him, the case of Mr Bogdanović mentioned the citizenship of some Democrat officials and allegedly Bogdanović‘s mediation in obtaining that citizenship.
It is interesting that another Savović, the brother of prosecutor Savović, was in the center of attention yesterday, because he resigned from the position of advisor to the Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapić, to which he was elected in December. Mr Željko Savović was mentioned for a while as a potential head of Prime Minister Krivokapić‘s cabinet, and he was in the center of attention during the Prime Minister’s visit to Brussels, when the Prime Minister blushed in front of NATO officials due to Savović‘s presence in burning the organization’s flag. Savovic is a member of the pro-Russian Law of Montenegro.
The Speaker of Parliament of Montenegro and the Democrats leader, Mr Aleksa Bečić, also said that he had written on Twitter that the Special State Prosecutor’s Office was putting pressure on MPs because of the announced dismissals in the Prosecutor’s Office.
Minister Investigator
It is not bad to deconstruct power and point out abuses, however, when the current minister does that, it is a little nasty. Like when a car mechanic or a ceramicist or a plumber criticizes your former repairman. As soon as he says “and who did this to you”, you immediately know what kind of repairman he is. Minister Aleksandar Stijović, in a manner similar to Minister Mladen Bojanić, with the logistical support of Petar Komnenić, is conducting public trials these days, instead of leaving it to journalists and investigative journalists to devote themselves to this work, and then to the court and prosecutors. And the minister should then roll up his sleeves and make sure that the abuse does not continue.
Minister Stijović presented data on abuses in Plantaže, and also touched on the daily allowance of former Minister Petar Ivanović, who, in one day in September 2013, allegedly visited 7 countries and took €5,500 in daily allowances.
Let’s be clear, everyone who has violated the law should be held accountable, but this bringing down on television over those who are politically defeated is a little disgusting. Like when you hit an opponent who is on the ground.
Minister Vesna Bratić told Ms Irena Tatar that everything she said until 30 August was sarcasm. She mentioned the attacks on her, and talked a little about the big job in the four departments assigned to her. Judging by the reactions on social networks, her visit was much more followed than the public trial led by Mr Stijović and Mr Komnenić.
Attack on Tonino Picula
DF MP Jovan Vučurović, known for his denial of genocide, and for other extreme views, attacked the Member of the European Parliament, Tonino Picula, yesterday, because of Mr Picula‘s attitude towards changing the prosecution law. Mr Vučurović rebuked Mr Picula and other European officials for, as he said, keeping silent for years about the “biggest scandals in Europe” committed during the DPS rule. This reaction of the ruling power MPs certainly does not announce good communication with European partners, especially having in mind that Mr Picula is the EP rapporteur for Montenegro.
So much for today.
Have a nice weekend. See you again on Monday.
