Montenegrin President Jakov Milatović noted that many politicians alter their perspectives upon taking office. His comments came in light of a shooting incident involving a relative of Parliament Speaker Andrija Mandić, alongside a cooperative agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) focused on economic and tourism development.

Milatović shared his views during a conference following the award ceremony for Montenegro’s top businessmen of the previous year, hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Montenegro.

When asked about the incident involving Mandić’s nephew and bodyguard, Danilo Mandić, who was involved in the shooting while utilizing a vehicle assigned to the parliamentary head, as well as the opposition’s calls for Mandić’s resignation, Milatović expressed his disapproval of the situation. He emphasized the need for clear answers from state authorities regarding citizens’ concerns.

“It seems that the relevant state authorities are offering conflicting information, which undermines public trust in these institutions—trust that we must build. However, trust cannot be fostered this way. I’m not part of the investigative bodies or prosecution, so I can’t delve into more intricate details,” he stated.

He further pointed out that conflicting reports from the authorities do little to enhance citizens’ trust in these institutions, urging them to provide clear responses to the inquiries stemming from this case.

“Regarding the accountability of the Speaker of the Parliament, that is primarily his concern. I observe that numerous politicians have altered their conduct upon gaining power, compared to their stances while in opposition. This inconsistency in attitudes isn’t isolated to this case alone but can be seen in a broader societal context, which is concerning. Referring back to this agreement, the same individuals who recently approved it in Parliament had distinctly different viewpoints on similar proposals just a few years ago,” Milatović remarked.

“What has changed in the meantime? This is a logical question on behalf of Montenegro’s citizens. I leave the judgment to the public, but I believe this inconsistency during their transition from opposition to power is detrimental and hinders our political development and democratization,” he added.

When asked if he would endorse the law regarding Montenegro’s agreement with the UAE on economic, tourism, and real estate collaboration, Milatović stated that he has a constitutional timeframe of seven days to act on such matters.

“These documents arrived through the normal channels. My stance has been clear in the past, so I won’t reiterate. You will be informed on this in due course. I am thorough and analyze everything that comes to the President from Parliament, and I will act accordingly here,” he noted.

Discussing the agreement, he expressed concerns about its implications on significant Montenegrin laws and its potential conflict with Montenegro’s European goals.

“As I mentioned yesterday in response to your earlier inquiry, I noticed some EU parliamentarians, crucial for Montenegro, expressing their concern regarding this agreement. It seems like someone is deliberately undermining our European path. Last year, they adversely impacted themselves with the Jasenovac resolution, and this year, they are doing something similarly detrimental. It’s up to you and the citizens to determine who is jeopardizing our European integration,” he emphasized.

He assured that there is no resistance to investments in Montenegro, but stressed the importance of how such things are executed.

“We cannot nullify Montenegrin laws, render them irrelevant, or subjugate the Constitution to specific aspects. Such actions are unacceptable. When I speak this way, it’s about standing up for Montenegro as a nation governed by the rule of law. From the outset, I argued that this initiative was flawed and did not exemplify the rule of law,” Milatović declared.

“This approach is not sustainable. I firmly believe that investments must be attracted to Montenegro through different means. The Constitution and Montenegrin laws hold the utmost authority and apply equally to everyone,” he stated.

He also stressed the necessity of cooperation between the central government and various local administrations.

“We need clarity between the central and local governments. I am a proponent of dialogue and constructive argument, and I believe this should guide our future interactions. I once remarked that time does not rectify past mistakes, as Valtazar Bogišić stated long ago. I consider this agreement on cooperation in tourism and real estate development to be erroneous. Time cannot amend it in this fashion,” he concluded.

Regarding the recent murder in Cetinje, Milatović mentioned that he learned of it through the media and therefore could not comment due to a lack of information.

“It is tragic to witness yet another murder. This issue primarily falls to the relevant authorities, including police and other agencies managing daily security concerns in Montenegro, which, evidently, are challenging given the current events,” he remarked. “We recently convened the Defense and Security Council, aiming to address all significant institutions and evaluate the security situation and its challenges,” he added.

He acknowledged that there was a collective willingness among all participants at that meeting to make progress. However, he noted that the question of whether the citizens of Montenegro feel safer is one that the authorities need to answer clearly.

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