News Front: Our guest is the deputy of the Democratic Front of Montenegro, Mr. Milan Knezevic. The day before was very hard in Podgorica. There were street activity and brawls in the parliament building. As a result, prosecutor’s office decided not to arrest you and Mr. Mandic. In your opinion, why was adopted this decision and whether it is associated with street activity in Podgorica?
Milan Knezevic: Yesterday’s events in Podgorica were the culmination. All that Milo Djukanovic’s regime planned and staged in the form of so-called coup on 16 October when he accused the DF and Russia in preparation for the prevention of Montenegro’s accession to NATO. DF leaders are trying to be blacken, without any evidence the media and government agencies directly blamed us for the fact that we had planned the bloodshed on election night. Yesterday in Montenegro was held in a hot atmosphere. Montenegro was on the verge of civil war and the resulting reaction of the Prosecutor is a measure that will return the course of events within the framework of solving such problems.
In Montenegro, it is clear that this is a political process. It is about political violence. Our bloc received 22% of votes in the elections in spite of the events of October 16. They supported the lifting of the anti-Russian sanctions. Abolition of pseudo-recognition of Kosovo and Metohija. And what is important for us in Montenegro – organization of referendum, where citizens of Montenegro will democratically express if they want to entry into NATO. This is something that does not suit the Djukanovic’s regime and mentors from NATO.
We are the target of the expansionist and aggressive policy of NATO, which wants to drag Montenegro against the will of its citizens.
News Front: Despite the fact that you are exempt from seizure, you won’t acquitted. What do you plan to do in this regard?
Milan Knezevic: This Monday we have a hearing at the prosecutor’s office. We will answer the questions of the special public prosecutor. I will repeat, neither I nor the colleague Mandic, nor any of the DF have nothing to do with the so-called coup, are not connected with the citizens of Serbia condemned for the “revolution” or not related to the other defendants, and moreover had never had any contact, either personal or on telephone, with the main suspects in this case – the Russians Shirokov and Popov, which, as we know, could not be found and identified in Russia. So it’s a political process because of our determination.
I think our defense will be based on the principle of dispelling everything, what the regime does through the Special State Prosecutor, creating a terrible design, which almost caused a civil war.
News Front: How is your initiative on the issue of joining NATO? Can the opposition to hold its own, if the government won’t agree?
Milan Knezevic: We are ready to invite colleagues from the government. To adopt amendments to the Law on Referendum at the Parliamen. And to hold a referendum, if the protocol is ratified by all 28 NATO members. If they will refuse, we are ready to hold a referendum by ourselves. In areas with commissions, voter lists, the state commission. But it would be the people’s consultative referendum is likely to perform optional, but the international community, including Russia, and the United States would see that Montenegro wants to maintain military neutrality.
Interviewed by News Front Serbia’s head Oksana Sazonova