The recent criminal charges filed by Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) MP Oskar Hutter against Vasilije Čarapić, the head of the Europe Now Movement (PES) parliamentary group, signal the onset of an open conflict between PES and those wary of confronting the truth, as stated by the party.

“The criminal complaint regarding a breach of peace and order amounts to legal absurdity; however, we believe that the old guard of the DPS genuinely took offense at the implication that the party has nurtured a haven for crime within the state. This feeling of personal violation is understandable, especially for those who, while testifying against former judicial leaders, realize that substantial evidence could lead to fair hearings concerning their long-standing violations of law. Consequently, they are willing to engage in the most outlandish actions to conceal the well-documented fact that after 30 years in power, they have effectively deindustrialized both Cetinje and Montenegro, fostering an environment ripe for a criminal enterprise amid economic ruins. They have transformed the judiciary into a mere extension of the Supreme (Medenica) and Special (Katnić) Criminal Service and replaced genuine policing with a delivery service in the Police Administration (Veljović and Stojanović), who have opted for limousines over bicycles. Thus, a swift and just judiciary is the DPS’s greatest nightmare. We wear this label with pride. Fabricated criminal allegations cannot obscure the truth, nor can electioneering be leveraged to evade accountability for a multitude of societal issues,” the statement asserts.

PES contends that DPS “once again demonstrates its persistent inability to accept criticism and confront its own fears regarding the truth.”

“Hutter, who claims to feel aggrieved, comes across as entirely unconvincing, particularly when one considers that the criticism was aimed at their tasteless pre-election political marketing strategy, which may only exacerbate existing divisions and worsen the prevailing sentiments among the citizens of Cetinje and Montenegro. It is appalling that DPS and Mr. Hutter are exploiting this tragedy to implement a smokescreen and divert attention from the forthcoming trial of Consigliere Katnić, which Montenegrin citizens will have the opportunity to witness live on television—because true democracy must remain transparent. Focus on genuine politics, Mr. Hutter, rather than on fabrications and profiting from tragedies. We understand that this transition may be challenging for you, as you have thrived on such tactics for decades, but it’s never too late to change, which could be healing for both you and society,” PES stated.

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