LION OR POODLE: Are Dritan Abazović's policies independently made or IS HE ON A LEASH?

The Government of Montenegro decided at last night's telephone meeting to shorten the term of the Montenegro Parliament! After the emergency cabinet meeting, PM Zdravko Krivokapić called on the In Black And White coalition and its leader Dritan Abazović to ensure their MPs resign from their assembly seats and see what the will of the electorate is in an election!

Krivokapić said that the tower of untruths, which was the basis for forming the minority government, was falling down. The political crisis in Montenegro, which had lasted since the forming of the government, culminated several days ago when the leader of the URA and the In Black And White coalition, Deputy PM Dritan Abazović, proposed forming a minority government, making a motion in the Parliament for a vote of no confidence for Zdravko Krivokapić's Cabinet. The Prime Minister responded by a proposal, also put forward in the Parliament, to relieve Abazović of his duties.

Bringing Milo back

Abazović's move has been slammed by Montenegrin politicians and officials, who allege that this move brings Milo Đukanović's DPS back into power by the side door and even that Abazović is blackmailed or on backhanders!

After the resolution of this political drama, one is left wondering if these moves are indeed made by the URA and Abazović himself or by someone behind the scenes. Is it the political, business, or media structures, and what are they? Are foreign actors involved?

Prime Minister Krivokapić's Cabinet believes that the initiators and promoters of forming a minority government have long been spreading lies and misleading whoever they could.

"The aggressive propaganda alleging that the international community is behind this amateur project has turned out to be untrue. The initiators of this attempt have obviously been spreading inaccurate information to embassies and other relevant international institutions for a long time and persistently, even as they fully participated in the work of the incumbent government and claimed that it was the best functional solution to the transitional period on the European path," Prime Minister Krivokapić's statement says, adding that no one should have any doubts regarding what the project would look like under the control and with the support of the DPS:

"Only someone indebted to the defeated regime can at the same time insist on the political, constitutional, and economic instability, and publicly present all these actions as avantgarde evolution. Moreover, invoking legitimacy as you go about planning a constitutional coup d'état DPS-style clearly indicates how deep the blackmail runs and how rushed the masterminds are."

Escobar and the US Embassy

'The US supports what the majority of the people want'

According to the statement of Gabriel Escobar, Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, the United States obviously does not give preference to any political option in Montenegro.

"The people of Montenegro have a long-standing partner in the United States, and we want for Montenegro what the majority of its citizens want – a safe, secure, and prosperous future. The US will work with any democratically formed government of Montenegro to support its progress on the Euro-Atlantic path, including NATO membership, efforts to join the EU, and the demonstrated commitment to shared values, such as fighting corruption," Escobar said.

The US Embassy in Podgorica has also expressed its view on the matter, saying that it is not up to the US to form the government of Montenegro and that it will cooperate with any democratically formed government.

The Democrats respond

'Attempts of the URA are political corruption and betrayal of citizens'

Democratic Montenegro has said in a statement that they have a very clear view regarding the attempts of the URA to bring down the government of Montenegro, which they see as political corruption and betrayal of the citizens of Montenegro; on their view, the justifications made are unfortunate and clumsy attempts at hiding the point of it all – defending the mafia at a point when the prosecutor's office and the judiciary are finally being put in order.

This political party has also responded to the claims made by the URA Vice-President Jovana Marović, who said that the Democrats have no views or courage, and do not really want Montenegro to join the EU.

"Nervous defectors continue to inundate the public with dumb DPS phrases," the statement by the Democrats says.

Counterattack

Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Water Economy Aleksanar Stijović also thinks that Abazović is not alone in this, and that it is all part of a wider and much bigger game. Stijović asked Abazović if he was doing everything he was doing because he is blackmailed:

"Dritan, blink if you're blackmailed. If you aren't, tell us what's going on so we can protect you, because what you're doing makes no sense."

On the other hand, the URA said in a statement that the decision of the Prime Minister and the government to propose shortening the term of the Montenegro Parliament is a desperate move:

"At a hastily called electronic meeting, the Prime Minister made a desperate move, making an unconstitutional request that cabinet ministers state whether they support shortening the term of the Parliament. The sole aim of this is to stay in power, which is more important to him than the Constitution and the laws of the land."

Boško Vukčević