PM Krivokapić: Peace has no alternative

Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapić addressed the latest political developments in the country. We publish his message in its entirety:

"Distinguished people of Montenegro,

The door to freedom and democracy in Montenegro is ajar, but that is not a reason to attend gatherings these days that violate that freedom in a certain way, limiting the freedom of others, who would just like to move freely. Democracy also means protests, but these protests must be in the spirit of democracy, and that means, without messages of hatred, chauvinism and exclusivity. In the past few days, Montenegro has been listening to messages that have never been present in Montenegro before, and these are the messages of divisions between newcomers and natives, natives and refugees. Also, we hear threats from MPs, "releasing the beast from the cage", many messages of hatred, even violence, and in the end those, who incite violence, expect the Montenegrin spring to happen in Montenegro, alluding probably to the Arab Spring. Those years and those springs have passed. Today we live for a new future and we will reach that future together, reconciled and professionally performing our functions. We are now preparing the Montenegrin summer, so that our citizens can be ready for this tourist season, and our state should help them in that work. The images that someone wants to send from the Montenegrin streets work directly against the state, its economy and against all those who work hard. It is the obligation of all political entities in Montenegro to call on their supporters to cancel gatherings and counter-gatherings, to stay at home, and to devote to daily obligations, peace, order and work. That is our only obligation in the revival of Montenegro. No one should defend Montenegro from Montenegrins, because we all live here as citizens who love their country. I would pay special attention to the previous government, the current opposition, which has responsibility, because they still do not accept that they have lost power. Of course, neither Montenegro not its people have been lost with their loss of power. We know how to lead this Montenegro, as well as this Government and the Parliament, and I hope that other Montenegin institutions will join our work. Do not worry about those who have achieved everything in lawlessness and guided by their interests and their attempts to bring Montenegro into a new state in which they are most comfortable, and that is a state of chaos and disorder. In that state, surely one man manages these activities, and that is the Adviser to the President of Montenegro, Mr. Veljović, who moved his headquarters from the police to the headquarters of a parallel body, which leads the Patriotic Komitas Union of Montenegro. We know that all this is financed by organized crime in collusion with politicians, because in that way they protect their interests. All this happened because corruption is reduced to zero and crime to a minimum. Montenegro is not a criminal state, Montenegro is not a state of nepotism, Montenegro is a country of good hosts. I call on the citizens of Montenegro not to fall prey to the calls of those who have violated many laws, and now wish to drag them into lawlessness. Nobody has defeated the state yet, neither today nor will in the future. Montenegro is a state of all its citizens, who want to build it, not dismantle it," the Prime Minister's message reads.