Deputy Prime Minister for Education, Science and Relations with Religious Communities Budimir Aleksić convened a meeting with Aleksandar Saša Zeković, a prominent human rights advocate, to discuss the process of addressing historical grievances. This meeting was part of the Deputy Prime Minister’s continuous dialogue with civil society and religious organizations on crucial matters related to Montenegro’s European integration and social cohesion.

Both parties recognized that the increasingly open dialogue surrounding Montenegro’s socialist past often leads to ideological disputes and political unrest. The presence of unidentified or concealed graves within the country is frequently utilized to express differing ideological viewpoints.

They mutually highlighted the necessity of tackling historical issues through a fair and objective lens—unaffected by political pressures, revisionism, or imposed narratives concerning history.

Deputy Prime Minister Aleksić reaffirmed that he had formally sought from Montenegro’s Supreme State Prosecutor, Milorad Marković, comprehensive updates on the status of all cases and complaints currently being examined by the Special State Prosecutor’s Office pertaining to alleged war crimes during and after World War II.

Moreover, DPM Aleksić has begun a dialogue with the President of Montenegro Jakov Milatović regarding the nation’s and society’s approach to the remains of innocent civilian victims from World War II and the immediate post-war era.

Mr. Zeković shared significant civil society initiatives and the hurdles they encounter, particularly emphasizing the campaign to designate the Kotor pit—located in the village of Kuline, Municipality of Nikšić, currently on private property—as a cultural heritage site owing to its historical and memorial significance. He pointed out that in European Union nations, locations of mass suffering and civilian casualties are often bestowed protected status as part of their cultural heritage. He also stressed the essential role of civil society in countering the rising threat of political revisionism.

Both parties reiterated the recent statements and appeals outlined in the European Parliament’s resolution on Montenegro, which cautioned against the risks of historical revisionism being leveraged for political gain. Such actions, the resolution emphasized, erode accountability and exacerbate social divisions. It also called for the opening of archives related to the former Yugoslav republics and access to the records of the former Yugoslav secret service and the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA), to facilitate a thorough investigation of potential crimes committed during the communist period.