The president of the Council of the Civic Initiative (CI) “21.maj,” Miodrag Živković, along with executive coordinator Rade Bojović, stated that Montenegro faces a series of challenges, making immediate progress unrealistic.

“With a repugnant government and a corrupt political elite, and the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) acting as a destabilizing force in Montenegro’s foundations, many voters would reject progress for personal gain. The presence of corrupt officials and criminal groups, which a former socialist government could have addressed in a month, highlights that a significant lack of awareness exists in Montenegrin society amid the dominance of lies, deception, betrayal, and ignorance,” the pair asserted.

They noted that, “as Montenegro’s accession to the European Union (EU) advances, discussions about a potential investment bailout from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are becoming more common.”

“While NGOs tirelessly advocate for human rights and environmental protection, political parties are undermining the state and ruining society. The political mainstream remains pitifully silent as Vučić’s patriarch seeks support from Moscow to further Serbian state interests in Montenegro. Concurrently, discussions on economic and development issues are muddled, while opportunists skirt the troubling rhetoric of Joanikije II, who, influenced by neo-Chetnik and neo-fascist ideologies, seeks to absolve one of Montenegro’s most notorious criminals from World War II,” they declared.

This situation, they remarked, is indicative of a “decayed environment.”

“Nonetheless, a revitalized Montenegro can emerge through the consistent exposure of the entrenched political, moral, and spiritual decay. We envision a Montenegro that will create the conditions necessary to address numerous issues. Progress won’t occur overnight, but we must be steadfast in our efforts to nurture hope for transforming Montenegro into a prosperous, civilized, and pro-European nation,” concluded Živković and Bojović.

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