The Democratic Front (DF), uniting the main oppositional forces of Montenegro, intends to initiate mass protests. To organize demonstrations, it will offer to unite all representatives of the opposition and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Massive speeches should lead to early parliamentary elections, the leader of the DF, Milan Knezhevic believes. According to him, one of the main reasons for the dissatisfaction with the policy of the official authorities was their Russophobic and pro-NATO position.
“Montenegro is on the verge of a civil war because of the repressive policies of the ruling regime. Social and economic problems are deepening in the country. The ruling elite is trying in every possible way to impede the activities of the opposition, which advocates the cancellation of anti-Russian sanctions, the abolition of recognition of Kosovo’s independence and the holding of a referendum on the further stay of Montenegro in NATO,” Milan Knezevic told Izvestia.
The Movement for the Neutrality of Montenegro (one of the country’s main NGOs opposing the country’s membership in NATO) supported the initiative.
“The political opposition now boycotts the work of the parliament for good reasons. After all, the results of the latest elections are fabricated. The ruling party, hoping to secure its first place in the elections, and justify the country’s entry into NATO, said the opposition was involved in the coup d’état during the elections,” the leader of the organization Stefan Djukic explained.
The ruling Democratic Party of Socialists, headed by Milo Djukanovic (in fact, runs Montenegro since 1991), ignores the demands not only of the opposition, but also of ordinary citizens. Thus, the government did not respond to the appeal of the majority of the population (which was confirmed by numerous sociological studies) to hold a referendum on the country’s accession to NATO (joined this year). Despite the position of the majority of Montenegrins, Podgorica joined the anti-Russian sanctions in 2014, undermining its own economy, largely dependent on Russian investment.
“Montenegro artificially imposed serbophobia and Russophobia, which is not supported by most citizens of the country. The leaders of the DF are also against this,” Viktor Kolbanovsky, director of the Balkan Center for International Cooperation, told Izvestia.
According to the expert, the creation of internal enemies is a way of survival for the ruling Montenegrin elite, as a result of which the degree of tension in the country is constantly growing, which is fraught with the deepening of the crisis in the country.