The government of Zdravko Krivokapić has shown its true face since the parliamentary elections until now, said in an interview for Aktuelno, Belgrade lawyer and civil activist Aleksandar Olenik.
He believes that it is not possible to deceive voters again, because, as he states, the citizens have seen enough through the false policy of the current government on respect for the state of Montenegro and the Montenegrins themselves. He believes that “the Serbian Orthodox Church is the main contractor of dirty political works for the regime of Aleksandar Vučić, outside the borders of Serbia.”
Referring to the events in Belgrade related to the mural of war criminal Mladic and the apprehension of activist Aida Corovic, he adds that the message is quite simple – “War criminal Ratko Mladic, under whose command the genocide was committed in BiH, then pursued the policy of Seselj, Vucic, Vulin and Dacic, and now by protecting him, they are protecting themselves.”
Aktuelno: What image does the official policy of Serbia send by arresting citizens and standing up for the protection of war criminals?
Olenik: The message is simple: Never forget that the current government in Serbia consists of Seselj's radicals, high-ranking officials in the criminal organization Mira Markovic and the surviving Milosevic apparatus of thieves and war criminals on the budget, who all together pursue the policy of Greater Serbia, that they call now “Serbian world”. The current official Belgrade is the most responsible for war crimes, and that is why in Belgrade, from denying war crimes and genocide, we moved to openly celebrating war criminals and even genocide itself. Murals on the walls are just one of the methods used to revise the modern history of Serbia, which prepares young people in Serbia for new conflicts in the region.
Aktuelno: Through the arrest of free citizens and the defense of Ratko Mladic's mural, can we see a clear position of Serbia when it comes to genocide?
Olenik: As in the 90s of the last century, we have the official position of Serbia, which recognizes the verdict for genocide, but also the resolution of our assembly, which also refers to the verdict which established genocide. But this official position is only for external use or when guests come to us. There is also an unofficial position of official Belgrade, for internal use, which is not formalized through an act, but it is a narrative created orally and through gestures by all members of SNS, SPS and all nationalist opposition organizations, and it is simple: “Mladic is our hero”.
Aktuelno: How much can such moves affect the events in the region?
Olenik: The glorification of war criminal Mladic is more directed towards BiH, ie its north-eastern part, and an attempt to destabilize it. As for Montenegro, official Belgrade is behaving as if it is a done deal, and that Montenegro has been conquered. Therefore, in a recent visit, Prime Minister Krivokapić asked Vučić for permission for early elections, as well as help for participating in those elections, but he did not receive it. Prime Minister Krivikapić knows that without the great participation of Serbia, the Serbian Orthodox Church, money and the campaign from Belgrade, he would never have come to power, so without Vučić's permission, he cannot call early elections in Montenegro. As Montenegro is a member of NATO, as the strongest party is pro-European and as the international community recognizes its mistakes in Montenegro and, in the end, as the United States returns to its policy, I am sure that Montenegro is not conquered and that right here, the current the regime in Belgrade will suffer its first serious defeat. That defeat will be the beginning of the end for Aleksandar Vučić.
Aktuelno: You mentioned that Krivokapić would never have come to power without the great participation of Serbia, the Serbian Orthodox Church, money and the campaign from Belgrade. Can we expect interference through local elections as well?
Olenik: The Serbian Orthodox Church is the main contractor of dirty political works for the regime of Aleksandar Vučić, outside the borders of Serbia. Without the logistics and abuse of the religious feelings of the citizens of Montenegro by the Serbian Orthodox Church, it would never have happened that the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church appointed the Prime Minister. I am convinced that they will try the same recipe, but I am even more convinced that the civilian and pro-European forces will be ready this time.
Aktuelno: Can the Government expect the support of citizens in the next local elections?
Olenik: From the parliamentary elections until now, everyone in the ruling majority has shown their true face. So it is not possible for them to deceive voters again with lies about their civil policy or respect for the state of Montenegro and the Montenegrins themselves. Also, going to Belgrade for an opinion or permission has become a normal occurrence. Therefore, I am convinced that in the next local elections, all citizens who are for an independent, sovereign and European Montenegro will give their vote only to proven pro-European parties, without experiments with various movements and pseudo-civic associations, which maintain this government. In that case, the victory of proven pro-European and civic parties is most likely.