Pokret za Promjene

USA – Washington - As part of their ongoing visit to the United States the representatives of the Montenegrin democratic opposition, Mr. Nebojsa Medojevic and Mr. Koca Pavlovic, held meetings yesterday with the State Department officials. Mr. Medojevic and Mr. Pavlovic had extensive discussions with both the Director for Southern and Central Europe, Mr. Jason P. Hyland, and with the Montenegro-desk officer, Ms. Roksana Houge. “The current power structure is constantly misusing a considerable support the people of Montenegro and the Montenegrin state has been receiving for decades from our most significant ally: the people and the government of the United States. We are very concerned with the fact that our internationally recognized sovereignty and our institutions are being used as tools for protecting fugitives from international justice as well as the fact that Montenegro has been turned by various criminal associations into a platform for launching regional and global criminal activities. Such state of affairs represents a direct threat to our European and Euro-Atlantic integration processes and is also compromising all of our friends who are willing to help out Montenegro in achieving full EU and NATO memberships. For those reasons the struggle against Montenegrin organized crime and the fight for uprooting it from the state institutions is not only a significant goal for the Montenegrin democratic opposition. That is also in the interest of the United Sates of America and all of Montenegro’s friends in the West,” said Mr. Nebojsa Medojevic during meetings he had at the State Department yesterday.

“The leader of the regime is a point of contact in which state structures and those of organized crime meet. That fact alone prevents the government from performing its constitutional duties in the struggle against organized crime and corruption, while it makes redundant all efforts in building independent institutions and in creating the framework for the rule of law in Montenegro. Eliminating that criminal element and point of contact is, therefore, an essential precondition for the democratic rebuilding of the Montenegrin society. 

A transitional government operating within a clearly designated time limit and consisting of all political subjects, that is to say, a transitional government free of corrupt politicians and of those who are connected with various criminal structures would have the mandate to undertake the process of decriminalization of institutions, democratization of the electoral framework, and the urgent implementation of economic measure addressing the ongoing crisis. By doing so, a transitional government would create conditions for the very first free and fair elections in Montenegro that should be monitored by international bodies and organizations as well. 

The situation in Montenegro is worsening by the day. That creates a fear of a possible chaotic outcome that would be damaging to everyone. That is why we need to act now. That is why we believe our plan should be put in effect immediately so that the stability of our country is maintained. The Montenegrin democratic opposition speaks with one voice on this issue,” further explained the president of the PzP to his hosts. 

Mr. Medojevic also informed his hosts in details about recent attacks aimed both at the PzP and him personally due to their political activities and public speaking against organized crime. Mr. Medojevic expressed his appreciation for the swift reaction of the U.S. administration in this regard.