PM Krivokapić's Op-Ed: Honor and shame live forever

Try to imagine a scenario in which political corruption took place in Montenegro yesterday, after winning freedom on 30 August. Which of the members of the parliamentary majority would be ready to call personal integrity into question and tarnish the family's reputation, which is sacred in Montenegro? Who would take the risk, as an individual, to provoke protests across the country and mass expression of dissatisfaction due to the betrayed will of the citizens? I believe and hope that there is no such MP and that there won't be one in the parliamentary majority.

Otherwise, if (for the umpteenth time) political corruption would be legitimized, it would mean that Montenegro does not need elections. The recipe would be clear and implicit: we have lost the election and we are missing one mandate? No problem - we'll buy it. 

Is that democracy, and does such "democracy" make sense? US President Joseph Biden once said: "Corruption is a cancer, a cancer that eats away at a citizen's faith in democracy, diminishes the instinct for innovation and creativity". After (another) political corruption, could we ever restore the faith of our citizens in democracy?

This Government, which various political structures have been trying to overthrow since it was formed, is the first in Montenegrin history to give a chance to young, innovative and creative people to finally show their knowledge and skills. To show their love for Montenegro.

And the love for Montenegro is not shown by stealing it, by bid rigging, wasting and exploiting its resources.

Love for Montenegro is expressed when you save the country from bankruptcy and protect it from currency risk, reduce the budget deficit many times over, significantly increase the minimum and average salary, increase health care salaries by 30%, organise record drug seizure, return the property to the citizens and the state, provide over 1.3 million vaccines, provide child allowance for children up to 6 years of age and free textbooks for all primary school children.

That is why I am convinced that there is neither an individual, nor a parliamentary group from the ruling majority, who is interested in destroying the achievements made so far and reviving the previous state. The state in which Montenegro was a state of affairs. A country of political blackmail, pressure and party membership book, where unnatural divisions were incited and criminal clans regularly clashed.

We do not want that Montenegro. We want Montenegro of happy and satisfied people. Montenegro of the future. Because the one/those who would dare to change the path of this beautiful country by using political corruption, would write their names, permanently and irreparably, on the pages of the history of political dishonesty.

They could never get out of that basement of shame and walk the Montenegrin streets, boulevards and sidewalks again.

But others would. Smiling, proud and free. Just like in January 2020.