Montenegro's sovereignty main target of Democratic Front’s protests in Podgorica, PM Đukanović says

Podgorica, Montenegro (30 October 2015) – Montenegro's sovereignty was the main target of the Democratic Front’s protests in Podgorica, Prime Minister Milo Đukanović underlined answering the MPs questions during the “Questions to Prime Minister” institution in the Parliament of Montenegro.

Explaining to what extent the current political developments may affect the achievement of key national integration and economic priorities, Prime Minister Đukanović said that the government and state have the capacity to provide all the conditions for pursuing a stable path towards European and Euro-Atlantic integration.

He pointed out that the protests of the Democratic Front, having been announced as peaceful and democratic, had the intention to turn violent from the very beginning.

“Despite the false rhetoric, the protests were aggressive and violent. Behaviour and statements made by the organisers saying they would enter the Parliament if someone tried to remove the tents and stage from the boulevard, testifies to that fact,” PM Đukanović noted.

The protests have shown contrary to the strategic course of Montenegro - progress in the integration processes, PM Đukanović emphasised.

“For months, they had tried to intimidate people with Montenegro's membership in NATO. This, along with public and strong support from abroad, showed that the main target of the protests was the statehood of Montenegro. Their idea was to get a chance to overturn the independence in a forcible manner and return the country into the situation where decision about us are unmistakably made by others,” he said.

According to him, all these events showed that the Democratic Fronted wanted a violent change of government, contrary to the Constitution of Montenegro. The police, in his words, acted according to the law.

"Everything that happened later showed the capability of the police and institutions of the system to efficiently and professionally react in such situations. Most importantly, there were no casualties or major injuries on both sides," the Prime Minister stated, adding he is convinced that all individual cases of exceeding authority, as well as acts of violence by protesters, are to be thoroughly investigated.

PM Đukanović said that the government and Democratic Party of Socialists are ready for the elections once the decision on extending NATO invitation to Montenegro is reached.

“Following the December decision, we will be ready for the elections. When the elections are to be held does not depend on us, but on the parliamentary consensus. NATO invitation is at the end of our fingertips. We invite everyone to make a final effort to deserve it,” he underscored.

The Prime Minister voiced his willingness to establish dialogue with everyone interested in further creating conditions for full transparency of the electoral process.