The Europe Now Movement (PES) announced today that it remains consistent with its position that Montenegro respects the sovereignty and internal processes of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), as well as all neighboring countries.

“The position of our Government and institutions is clear – we do not interfere in the internal affairs of other states. Individual statements and actions of representatives of coalition partners do not reflect the official positions of the Government of Montenegro, nor do they have an institutional character. Montenegro is guided by the principles of good neighborly relations, stability and the European path, and every move we make will be in accordance with these values,” PES, the party led by Prime Minister Milojko Spajić, said on the social network Iks.

The President of the Parliament of Montenegro and leader of the New Serbian Democracy (NSD) Andrija Mandić and the President of the Democratic People’s Party (DNP) and MP in the Parliament of Montenegro Milan Knežević met yesterday in Banja Luka with the President of the Bosnian and Herzegovina entity Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik.

At the press conference after that meeting, Mandić said, among other things, that Serbs from Montenegro stand together with Serbs from Republika Srpska, even when times are difficult.

At the same conference, Knežević said, among other things, that the verdict sentencing Dodik to a year in prison and banning him from political activity for six years was shameful, and that the goal of the verdict was to eliminate him from political life because of his clear views, which are also advocated by the majority of the Serbian people. He emphasized that Serbs in Montenegro could not possibly be closer to Sarajevo than to Banja Luka.

On February 26, Dodik was sentenced to one year in prison and a six-year ban on political activity.

Dodik was then found guilty before the Court of BiH.

Dodik is accused of signing presidential decrees declaring two unconstitutional laws of the RS, which the High Representative had previously annulled, valid. These are the laws on the non-implementation of decisions of the Constitutional Court of BiH and the non-implementation of decisions of the High Representative on the territory of the RS.

The verdict is a first-instance verdict and there is a possibility of appeal to the Appellate Chamber of the Court of BiH.

Bosniak Party (BS) MP Kenana Strujić Harbić announced yesterday that she would initiate a meeting with their partners from PES regarding Mandić’s departure to Banja Luka.

The Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) said yesterday that Mandić and Knežević’s visit to Dodik was a slap in the face to Montenegro’s European integration, but also to Spajić.

The president of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and one of the leaders of the European Alliance, Ivan Vujović, said yesterday that the government is building good neighborly relations by visiting those who are destroying BiH, and suggested that perhaps Spajić should ask Mandić to take off his tie so that he can say that the visit is private and party-related.

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