Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integrations' reaction to article published in daily newspaper „Vijesti“

Podgorica, Montenegro (14 October 2016) -- Regarding to the marketing text published on 14 October 2016 in the daily newspaper „Vijesti“, titled „Direct legal consequences for immigrants who plan to come and vote on 16 October by order of DPS“, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration gives a statement:

„Democratic Front obviously attempts to abuse the constitutional and legal right of Montenegrin citizens living abroad for election purposes.

Specifically, referring to Article 45 of the Constitution which guarantees the Montenegrin citizen residing in Montenegro at least 2 years the right to elect and to be elected, and threatening that their legal team will implement action on alleged abuse of the right to vote and give „legal forms“ to the countries they reside in, in case they come to vote for the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), is nothing but an ordinary election manipulation and attempted intimidation with an unfounded arguments. It is interesting to state that they will prosecute only DPS voters (although it is not clear which method they use to determine for whom someone votes), while other citizens who are temporarily residing abroad and have permanent residence in Montenegro, have nothing to worry about, in the opinion of the legal experts.

Except that, it is obvious that their „legal team“ does not have enough knowledge to distinguish a stay from the residence, and for these reasons is trying this way to put pressure on our citizens residing abroad not to respond to the call for a vote like any free citizen who has the right to.

For these reasons, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration informs our citizens residing abroad and having the right to vote, to decide themselves on participation in elections and to opt themselves for whom to vote for, and to perceive this DF's attempt of intimidation as one in a series of manipulations inherent to this political group which chooses no means to achieve its goal.“

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integrations