Clinton: Remarks With Montenegrin Prime Minister

WASHINGTON - During his three-day visit, Montenegrin PM Milo Djukanovic will meet U.S. Vice-President Joseph Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

It is believed that one of the main themes to discuss will be Montenegro’s bid to join NATO, and U.S. support in that matter. However, medias pointed out that vast majority of Montenegrin citizens is against the government plans to join the NATO, so it remains unclear on whose behalf is Montenegrin delegation leading the talks in Washington D.C.

Montenegrin Ambassador in Washington Miodrag Vlahovic said ”The program of the visit is very intensive and all our interlocutors are interested in meeting Montenegrin delegation and supporting our effort towards Euro-Atlantic institutions.” Besides the prime minister, the delegation consists of Foreign Minister Milan Rocen and Minister of Finance Igor Luksic.

Montenegrin delegation will also meet with heads of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, Dominique Strauss-Kahn and Robert Zoellick. Prime Minister Djukanovic will visit Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, and give a lecture entitled “Montenegro’s path to Euro-Atlantic structures” at Johns Hopkins University.

PM Djukanovic seeks blessing for his successor after he ruled the country for 20 years?

German Radio Deutsche Welle reported that “according to Podgorica’s estimates the visit will determine the future political scene in Montenegro”. During his trip stateside, “Djukanovic is to receive approval for his successor at the position of prime minister”.

The radio emphasized that Djukanovic has been preparing for this visit for a long time through his lobbyists, and that he succeeded in being received at a high level. The report goes on to say that “before his trip to Washington, Djukanovic fulfilled the condition set out by the U.S. administration to establishment diplomatic relations with Kosovo”.

(From Serbian B92 English news service)
High official of the Montenegrin opposition party Movement for Changes Koca Pavlovic stated for Deutsche Welle that the six-time Montenegrin prime minister understood the message sent by the West: he must withdraw so that Montenegro would move on, as was the case with Ivo Sanader in Croatia.

“Aware that he must back down, Djukanovic is trying to arrange a departure by the model he used in the fall of 2006 and that is why he took a projected successor Igor Luksic with him,” Pavlovic said, but “expressed doubt that Washington would agree to another farcical exit of Djukanovic like three years ago”.

Continuous accusations of Montenegrin Prime Minister’s ties with mafia: Djukanovic statements wanted in 4 murder probes

Montenegro’s Supreme Prosecution has submitted a request to the Podgorica Higher Court to question Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic and Serbian controversial businessman Stanko Subotic aka Cane, who is already on the Interpol wanted list.

Montenegrin PM Djukanovic stated many times that Mr Subotic is his friend, and that he has nothing to hide in that matter. He also denied all the links with mafia and criminal charges that are coming from many sides in the last few years.

Montenegrin daily newspaper “Dan” wrote that the pair, previously mentioned in connection to cigarette smuggling probes, should give their statements in investigations of four murders. Chief State Prosecutor Ranka Carapic has filed the request based on the statement of Montenegrin businessman and former Chief of Montenegrin Trade Mission in Washington - Ratko Knezevic, about the involvement of the Montenegrin prime minister and Mr Subotic in a total of nine murders.

The final decision will be made by Supreme Court of Montenegro, but many analysts consider this whole process a political theatre, since Montenegrin judiciary system is considered to be under complete control of Mr Djukanovic and his ruling Democratic Party of Socialists. They are in power of this small Adriatic country for last 20 years, after previously transforming themselves from the Communist Party and changing the political system into a facade democracy.

STATE DEPARTMENT BRIEFING

Thursday, 21 January 2010, 1:25 pm
Speech: US State Department

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Treaty Room

Washington, DC

January 20, 2010

SECRETARY CLINTON: It’s a great pleasure to welcome the prime minister. We consider our partnership with Montenegro to be very strong, and we look forward to it becoming even more important in the future.

Prime Minister Djukanovic and I discussed a range of issues. We particularly focused on the Western Balkans and the role that Montenegro is playing to ensure stability. I congratulated the prime minister on Montenegro achieving MAP status with NATO, and pledged the United States’ support for Montenegro becoming an integral part of the Euro-Atlantic community.

I offered the support of the United States as Montenegro makes some of the reforms in the rule of law area that both NATO and the European Union are looking to see. And I thanked the Prime Minister for his country’s commitment to sending infantry troops to be part of the international force in Afghanistan.

And finally, I was delighted to receive an invitation to visit Montenegro sometime in the future, which I would very much hope to be able to fulfill.

PRIME MINISTER DJUKANOVIC (via interpreter) Ladies and gentlemen, before I begin, I would like to thank Secretary of State Clinton for the overall support that the U.S. has given Montenegro towards its European and Atlantic integration.

I would like to recall that during a difficult period in the Balkans in the 1990s, that we managed to build a strong mutual trust. That cooperation has helped us understand the values of the American society and has helped us restore Montenegrin independence in a situation and in conditions of full stability and to move today steadily towards European and Euro-Atlantic integration.

I wish to thank Secretary Clinton in support – for the support to Montenegro in pursuing our goal, which is membership action plan at NATO. And at the same time, I would like to say that we stand ready to work hard to fulfill all the obligations in the next stages of our integration. And I would like to announce with confidence that Montenegro will be the next state to become a new member of NATO. Our two challenges for the future are improving, enhancing the rule of law, and we stand committed to doing this in order to improve the quality of life of our citizens and achieve our European and Euro-Atlantic goals at – as early, as soon as possible.

And I would like to reiterate on this occasion too that Montenegro is and will remain a responsible and reliable partner to the U.S. and EU in dealing with the still outstanding issues in the Balkans. And we will also work closely with our partners in other places beyond our region, starting with Afghanistan.

And finally, I would like to say how grateful I am to Secretary Clinton for accepting our invitation, and I will be looking forward to her visiting Montenegro at a period convenient to her.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you so much. Thank you all very much.

Partitë e opozitës në Mal të Zi bëjnë bojkot shkel e shko

Nga Brian Salmi për Southeast European Times në Podgoricë -- 21/01/10

Politikanët e opozitës në Mal të Zi prej kohësh janë ankuar në lidhje me zgjedhjet e vendit, duke i quajtur ato të paligjshme, jodemokratike dhe nën ndikimin e krimit të organizuar. Si protestë, tre prej partive më të mëdha të opozitës njoftuan se nuk do të paraqisnin kandidatë në një zgjedhje bashkiake më 6 dhjetor në Mojkovaç.

Duke shfrytëzuar këtë, Partia Socialiste e Popullit vendosi të kandidojë pasi sinjalizoi se do të bashkohej me bojkotin. Ajo morri 13 prej 31 vendeve dhe pjesa tjetër shkoi tek Partia Demokratike e Socialistëve (DPS) në pushtet. Pjesëmarrja ishte 70%.

Veprimi thekson më tej problemet me të cilat ndeshen partitë e opozitës. Sipas profesorit të shkencës politike të Universitetit të Malit të Zi Millo Beçiç partite kanë fonde të pamjaftueshme dhe janë të inatosura me paaftësinë e tyre për të sfiduar me sukses DPS-në.

Opozita vendosi të bojkotojë zgjedhjet bashkiake -- pasi kishte kërcënuar të qëndronte larg nga parlamenti -- kur zgjedhjet e përgjithshme më 29 mars u vërtetua se ishin të pafrytshme, tha Beçiç.

"Ata u përpoqën [të bojkotonin parlamentin] tre herë më parë dhe askush nuk u kushtoi vëmendje. Dhe ata nuk kanë asnjë ligjshmëri tek njerëzit për t'u përpjekur që t'a bëjnë përsëri atë, kështu që dolën me [bojkotimin e zgjedhjeve bashkiake]," tha Beçiç. "Dhe më pas ndryshuan mendje dhe u grindën mes vetvetes."

Ai thotë se arsyeja e vërtetë është se partitë e opozitës janë kaq të inatosura me paaftësinë e tyre për të sfiduar DPS-në sa që kanë hequr dorë."Nuk kanë dëshirë për të kandiduar në lojë," tha ai. "Nuk kanë para; nuk kanë interes të marrin pjesë."

Udhëheqësi i SNP Sërxhan Miliç ka thënë se partia e tij do të marrë pjesë në një zgjedhje bashkiake në Cetinjë, e cila është planifikuar tani për më 7 shkurt për shkak të gabimeve administrative. Partitë e tjera të opozitës thonë se do të vazhdojnë bojkotin e tyre, pavarësisht nga kritikat dhe madje edhe talljet në median vendase.

Përpjekjet për të krijuar një fort të bashkuar për t'u ndeshur me DPS nuk kanë shkuar gjekundi. Një prej partive bojkotuese, Lëvizja për Ndryshim (PfP), u përpoq të drejtonte një aleancë në nëntor, duke shpresuar të galvanizonte partitë politike, veprimtarët, intelektualët dhe udhëheqësit e OJQ-ve në një flamur të vetëm.

Iniciativa dështoi kur partitë e tjera refuzuan të marrin pjesë.

Kjo përmbajtje është autorizuar nga SETimes.com

Albanian Diaspora warns Washington on Djukanovic visit

1/19/10

Dear Mr. Vice President J. Biden
Dear Madame Secretary of State H. Clinton

It is our understanding that you have a scheduled meeting with the Prime Minister of Montenegro, Mr. Djukanovic. We would like to bring to your attention some of the concerns that the Albanians in Montenegro and the Albanian Diaspora has been faced with for decades. First of all, the Government of Montenegro has consistently refused to address and acknowledge the dire political and economical situation of ethnic Albanians residing in Montenegro.

Mr. Vice President and Madame Secretary of State, it is believed by a majority of Albanians in Montenegro, and the Albanians here in the USA, that the Montenegrin Government has individually and collectively expelled Albanian minority from the right to genuine equal participation in the Montenegrin Government; therefore, denying basic human and political rights, which is a direct violation of the Articles of the International Covenant on Civic and Political Rights, European Charter for Minority Rights and other supplementary international and European laws that protect minority rights. Montenegro knowingly has chosen an erroneous path, using Albanians as pretext for division, manipulation, meaningless promises, and unequal economic opportunities; favoring individuals that collaborate at the expense of Albanian rights, creating a distrustful environment among Albanians, and as a result of this, forcing Albanians to immigrate or assimilate into a majority group.

The Albanian American Association, for decades has been calling on the Montenegrin Government to fully comply with the abovementioned legitimate Albanians’ rights, and to seriously engage in removalof well-documented discriminatory practices which lead toward an intergenerational transmitted bigotry, prejudice, and stereotyping. They need to epigrammatically take steps to eliminate the negative effects of their institutions and historical narrow-mindedness. The principle to maintain peace, stability, and security goes hand-in-hand with protection and full realization of Albanian political and economical rights.

The Albanians Diaspora from Montenegro in the U.S. composes well over 60% of the Albanian population from Montenegro, who have emigrated as a result of continuous repression and institutionalized discrimination. In the last twenty years of democracy, with the exception of the approval of democratic multiparty electoral system, Montenegro has failed to improve the civic and political rights of Albanians; the government’s position toward ethnic Albanians is no different from the communist era.

We as citizens of the USA, courteously request that you convey the following concerns to the Prime Minister, Gjukanoviq:

1. Granting a full Municipality for the region of Malesia, for which we have compiled the elaborate of economic and political justification

2. The release of political prisoners “The Eagles Flight", and punishment of torture on prisoners exercised by untrained police officers.

3. Stop blocking the rights achieved during the approval of new electoral law; instead implement these laws/issues:

A. In the municipality of Ulqin,beach-border boundaries (“Sea Goods") need to be returned to 6m width according to the law.

B. To return the confiscated lands by the governmental authorities to the legal owners in citizens of Valdanos, Municipality of Ulqin, according to the deed law of the legitimate ownership.

C. Equal and proportional stateemployment for the Albanian minority, which constitutes 5.3% of the total population of Montenegro; while an employment is less than 0.3% (number of employees in this sector in Montenegro is over 50 thousands).

D. Review of contracts to privatization, and public transparency.

E. Introduction/Adoption of textbooks from Albania and Kosova for Albanian Language classes.

F. Adequately and appropriately allocate of funds for the Albanian Language.

Since Montenegro has contributed in preserving peace and freedom in the Balkans, we hope that our concerns will encounter an understanding by the Montenegrin government; and that with your understanding and support of our civic injustice, we anticipate these issues will be addresses to the Montenegrin officials during this event.

Respectfully,

__________________________________________________________________________________
Gjergj Ivezaj - Chairman of the Albanian American Association “Malesia e Madhe”


Albanian American Association “Malesia e Madhe,” Gjergj Ivezaj
Homeland Unites Us, Inc, Dr. Palok Camaj
Humanitarian Fund “Malesia,” Leonard Berishaj
Ded Gjon Luli Association, Sander Sinishtaj

LARGIMI NGA E VËRTETA: AKSIONI AFIRMATIV I PAKICAVE

14 JANAR 2010, TUZ, MALESIA E MADHE (Koha Javore)

Dr. Sc. iur. Angjell Gojçaj

Diskutimet rreth Ligjit të ri zgjedhor në Mal të Zi po nxjerrin në shesh përpjekjet e qeverisë, si edhe të opozitës për të gjetur një formulë e cila do të degradonte pozitën e pakicave etnike në Mal të Zi, ku një ndër kafshatat e pakapërdishme janë të drejtat e arritura të shqiptarëve. Metoda që po aplikohet nga qeveria është që me anë të diskutimeve dhe kompromisit gjoja “demokratik” të arrihet një koncezus me opozitën, e cila për fat të keq vizionin e saj politik për shtetin e ri të Malit të Zi e ka të padefinuar. Këtu aktor përkrahës janë edhe disa pakica të kërcënuara dhe një fraksion i politikës shqiptare në Mal të Zi, e cila është e kushtëzuar nga interesat dhe privilegjet e punësimit për bazën elektorale.

Që ligji zgjedhor paraqet një sfidë për Malin e Zi, e vërteton edhe vet fakti se nuk është hedhur në votim, pa u testuar opinioni me deklarata të koordinuara, prej pozitave diametralisht të kundërta. Kështu kohëve të fundit kemi vleresime, se gjoja në Unionin Evropian nuk ka pakica nacionale, apo akcioni afirmativ është i panevojshëm.

Këto konstatime, për të cilat nuk mund të gjykojmë nëse janë bërë nga niveli politikë apo shkencor, por pa marrë parasysh se prej cilit nivel, ato janë të gabuara. Secili shkenctar-politik duhet të posedoj njohuri, për të cilat ne nuk dyshojmë se i kanë, por pozita e tyre politike i ka shtyrë që të mos e pranojnë faktin se; në Unionin Evropian ka pakica nacionale, dhe se Mali i Zi ka ratifikuar dhe nënshkruar një numër të konsideruar të marrveshjeve ndërkombëtare, të cilat janë bërë edhe pjesë e sistemit juridik të Malit të Zi, ku para Malit të Zi, i kanë aprovuar edhe shtetet e Unioni Evropian, për të cilat pohohet se nuk kanë pakica nacionale.

Pakicat nacionale nuk janë pakica të religjionit apo të migrimit, të cilat ekzistojnë në shumë shtete multikulturore. Përkundrazi, pakicat nacionale janë grupe specifike të popujve autoktonë. Ky termin përfshinë statutin e pakicave, i cili është rezultat i inkorporimit në një sistem më të gjërë politikë, apo të ndryshimit të kufijve nga konfliket e mëdhaja nga më të vjetrat e deri te ato moderne, siç kemi rastin e luftës së I-rë dhe të II-të botërore, apo shpërbërjen e Bashkimit Sovjetik dhe Republikës Jugosllave. Pakicat nacionale autoktone në Evropë, në përbërje paraqesin popullatën, e cila “papritmas e ka gjetur vehten në anën e gabuar të kufirit”. Këtu mund të përmendim Hungarezët në Sllovaki, Rumuni,Slloveni, Srbi dhe Ukrainë; Turqit në Bullgari dhe Ballkan; Shqiptarët në Greqi, Maqedoni, Serbi dhe Mal të Zi; Moravët në Çeki; Austrijakët në Italinë Veriore; Italijanët në Austrinë Jugore dhe Slloveni; Gjermanët në Danimarkën e Jugut; Danezët në Gjermaninë Veriore; Rusët në shtetet Balltike, e kështu me rrallë.

Pastaj, kriterjumet teritoriale për përcaktimin e këtyre grupeve janë me rëndësi të veçantë. Shtetet e Evropës Perendimore në aktet më të larta juridike e kanë masa të qarta te cilat e definojnë pozitën e pakicave nacionale, siç është rasti i Sllovenisë. Përvoja e shteteve të Evropës Përendimore tregon se pakicat nacionale autoktone kanë të drejtë në përfaqësimin autentik pa cenzus në qeverisjen lokale dhe në parlamentet republikane, të drejt në votën e dyfishtë, krijimin e komunave, rretheve dhe rajoneve në teritoret ku jetojnë pa kushtëzime dhe të pa kufizuar. Gjithashtu, pakicat nacionale autoktone kanë Këshillat e veta nacionale dhe fondet për zhvillim. Prej çfarë u tha më sipër, sikur pakicave që jetojnë në Mal të Zi tu jipeshin të drejtat e njëjta siç i kanë Suedezët në Finlandë, të gjithë ne do të ishim të kënaqur.

Kur flitet për Malin e Zi si shtet qytetar, qeveria do ti bënte një shërbim të madhë demokracisë, sikur shteti të funksiononte me të vërtet si i tillë. Por besojmë që të gjithë e dimë se jetojmë në një shtet ku secili që mundohet për vlerat e civilizimit, por që del jashtë rrethit familjar, fisnor, fesë, kishës apo kombit, atëher etiketohet si “tradhëtar” i grupeve perkatëse.

Arritja e demokracisë shënon një hap para në zgjedhjen e çështjes së pakicave, por demokracia nuk e zgjedh çështjen e pakicave.

Në të drejtën ndërkombëtare për grupet e rrezikuara, siç janë refugjatët, gratë, racat dhe pakicat nacionale janë ndërtuar rregulla të posaçme për mbrojtjen e tyre. Koncepti modern i mbrojtjes së pakicave është paraqitur pikërisht në Ballkan, në Kongresin e Berlinit. Kurse sot për fat të keq, mund të them se Ballkanit një mbrojtje e tillë do ti nevojitet edhe për një kohë të gjatë.

Me insistimin e disa “politikanëve- shkencëtar” të pozitës në pushtet, dhe me përkrahjen e shumicës në opozitë, se nuk është i nevojshëm akcioni afirmativ, mendoj se përsëri gabohet. Në bazë të cilave të dhëna kanë arritur në këtë përfundim? Akcioni afirmativ dhe mënyra e përfaqësimit nuk janë të nevojshëme në rastin kur pakicat nacionale janë të barabarta në Mal të Zi. Por ne e dimë që sot në Gjykatat e Mal të Zi nuk është asnjë gjykatës shqiptar, pastaj sa është punësimi i tyre në organet e shtetit që numron mbi 50000 (Pesëdhjet mijë) të punësuar? Më pak se 0.3%. Pastaj sa është papunësia e pakicës nacionale shqiptare? Përgjithësisht pesë herë më e madhe se papunësia mesatare në Mal të Zi. A thua vallë, në bazë të këtyre kushteve duhet të hiqet akcioni afirmativ dhe mënyra e përfaqësimit?

Pakicat duhen pruar në atë shkallë zhvillimi, siç ka thënë ish-kryetari i SHBA-së Xhonson, që me ndihma të mënyrave të ndryshme ata duhet të jenë të barabart si qytetarët tjerë, si në atletikë, kur vrapuesit fillojnë vrapimin në stazë mbas pregaditjeve të njëjta. Kur për ato përgaditje janë shpenzuar mjete të njëjta.

Me pohimin e tyre se pakicat duhet të gëzojnë vetëm mbrojtjen kulturore, por jo edhe ate politike, bien ndesh me mënyrën e zgjedhjes së çështjes së pakicave në botë, e posaçërisht në Unionin Evropian.

Çështja e pakicave zgjidhet në mënyra të ndryshme: përmes transferimit, asimilimit, gjenocidit (për të cilin kemi menduar se i takon së kaluarës, por fatëkeqësisht është paraqitur gjatë shpërbërjes së ish-Jugosllavisë ), por edhe me rregulla të mbrendëshme , apo ndërkombëtare, në mes të cilave vend të rëndësishëm nxenë edhe e drejta politike, si dhe shkallë të ndryshme të autonomisë. Masat e para më të rëndësishme për mbrojtjen e pakicave nacionale janë paraqitur në nenin 27 të Paktit për të drejtat qytetare dhe politike, e jo në Paktin për drejtat ekonomike dhe kulturore.

Në një shtet ku udhëhiqet politika fisnore, e të flitet për të hequr të drejtat e pakicave, do të thotë largim nga e vërteta, dhe tentim “i zgjidhjes së përhershëme të çështjes së pakicave”, mendoj në pakicat e vërteta në Mal të Zi.

Montenegro and Kosova establish diplomatic relations

BELGRADE, Jan. 15 -- Montenegro and Kosovo have established diplomatic relations by the exchange of letters between the foreign ministers, Milan Rocen and Skender Hiseni, the Montenegrin government said Friday.

Rocen underscored in the letter to his Kosovo counterpart that he completely shares his opinion that the relations between Montenegro and Kosovo have good perspective.

On the other hand, the representatives of political parties in Serbia assessed on Friday that the Montenegrin government's decision does not contribute to good neighborly relations between Serbia and Montenegro, but that it is not a surprise.

Serbian Radical Party Vice President Dragan Todorovic said that the Montenegrin government's decision to recognize the independence of the southern Serbian province is "their most shameful move."

"Recognizing Kosovo as an independent state is one of the most shameful decisions made in Montenegro and it will remain Milo Djukanovic's most shameful move for centuries to come," Todorovic was quoted as saying by Serbian state news agency Tanjug.

New Serbia whip in the Serbian parliament Velimir Ilic said that the establishment of diplomatic relations between Podgorica and Pristina did not come as a surprise and that it was planned for a long time.

Liberal Democratic Party leader Cedomir Jovanovic said that the establishment of diplomatic relations with Pristina was "the logical consequence" of the decision to recognize Kosovo's independence.

Montenegro gained independence in June 2006 after a historic referendum to break up a union with Serbia, while ethnic Albanian-dominated Kosovo unilaterally declared independence in February 2008. However, Serbia has vowed it would never recognize Kosovo's independence, regarding the move illegal and in contrary with international law.

From BELGRADE
Montenegro’s decision to establish diplomatic relations with Kosovo is one of the major topics in the Serbian press on Saturday.
On Friday Serbia gave Montenegro a demarche over Podgorica’s decision to establish diplomatic ties with Kosovo, Glas Javnosti daily writes.

“The establishment of diplomatic relations between the government of Montenegro and Pristina breaks the regional stability and impedes the development of the good neighborly relations, which is a priority of the Serbian government,” the foreign ministry says.

The newspaper comments that Montenegro’s decision is “a brotherly knife in the back.”

BLIC DAILY

Blic writes that Belgrade has recalled its ambassador in Montenegro, Zoran Lutovac. Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said he will hold consultations with Lutovac in the next days to discuss the recent situation and steps Serbia will take against Montenegro’s decision. The Ministry of Defense announced the Montenegrin defense minister’s visit to Belgrade had been postponed. It was to take place on January 18.

VECERNJE NOVOSTI

Novosti paid attention to Montenegro’s decision as well. Podgorica turned a deaf ear to Serbia’s call to wait for the ruling of the International Court of Justice in The Hague concerning the legitimacy of Kosovo’s declaration of independence, the newspaper writes. The daily cites the leader of the Montenegrin New Serb Democracy Andrija Mandic as saying that the decision is based on the private interests of Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic and his close associates.

“This is revenge of the organized crime on Serbia, which fights against the criminal groups,” said Mandic.

Montenegrins reflect on the fruits -- and costs -- of the transition from communism

By Brian Salmi for Southeast European Times in Podgorica -- 13/01/10

The collapse of communism brought Montenegrins a multi-party democracy and eventual independence. But for many, the transition has been bittersweet. Along with others in the former Yugoslavia, citizens of Montenegro lived in relative affluence at the time the Berlin Wall fell. They lost it once Yugoslavia broke apart.

"We believed that we had a better form of communism, soft socialism. In the 1980s Yugoslavia had a standard of living that was equal to that of Greece," Maja Kostic-Mandic remembers.

With a younger generation taking over from the old guard, many believed the country was poised to enter the EU.

Then it all went wrong. Yugoslavia descended into chaos as the state disintegrated and its republics engaged in a succession of brutal conflicts between 1991 and 2001, known as the Yugoslav wars.

Today, the average Montenegrin remains worse off than before, says Kostic-Mandic, 40, a law professor and former parliament member. Her father, Branko Kostic, was vice president of Yugoslavia at the time of the breakup.

"Most people had a better life then," she says, pointing to the growing income gap among citizens, one of Europe's widest. "There was no extreme poverty, no drugs, much less crime, more jobs. We were all, more or less equal, and it seemed that everybody had a chance."

The affluence of those days however, rested on shaky ground. Montenegro was plagued by economic inefficiencies and depended on the federal Yugoslav government to redirect revenue from more prosperous republics. Yugoslavia eventually amassed debt exceeding 14 billion euros.

Reformists, led by Ante Markovic, saw EU entry as the solution. Joining the bloc, they thought, would foster investment and create jobs and allow the debt to be paid off. It didn't happen.

Momcilo Filipovic, a 46-year-old father of two and a trained engineer, has had trouble plying his trade for two decades. Asked if Montenegrins are freer today, he laughed darkly and quoted an old proverb.

"All men, rich or poor are equally free to sleep under a bridge."

According to Mihailo Jovovic, editor of the daily Vijesti, many Montenegrins simply feel they do not yet have enough of a stake in the country's economy or political life.

"Twenty years later, the same party is in power, despite the fact the people have lived in four different countries," he said. "The [Berlin] Wall is still in many heads, because they still think -- as in the communist times -- that things cannot change, this is how it should somehow be."

Confidence in democracy, Jovovic says, will depend on the political system maturing.

"When these things change -- i.e. when the power changes hands peacefully for the first time in Montenegrin history, and I am not sure that is going to happen soon -- these Montenegrins will start thinking that it is worth being entrepreneurial," he explains.

This content was commissioned for SETimes.com

Dukanovic defends his criminal empire

Montenegro’s Prime Minister, Milo Djukanovic, has said that the cigarette smuggling business in Montenegro in 1990s did not break the law.

Addressing the public on “Prime Minister’s Hour”, Djukanovic said the “transit” in tobacco had been conducted “in line with the laws of that time”, rejecting claims that Montenegro had become a safe haven for criminals.



“The transit job was done in line with Yugoslav and Montenegrin laws of the time. All income that the state planned to collect from that job was registered and paid to the treasury of Montenegro,” he said.

tobacco trading.By 1999-2000 the illicit trade was worth several billion dollars annually, according to EU and US agencies. Djukanovic struck back against these allegations, stressing that no proof has been presented since local media started reporting on his alleged involvement in mafia-style tobacco trading.



A court in Bari recently announced that a decision on possible court proceedings against nationals from Montenegro, Italy and Serbia, allegedly involved in an international cigarette smuggling ring, will be discussed in January.



The trial began in November 2001. The public prosecutor in Bari, Giuseppe Scelsi, included Djukanovic in the investigation owing to his alleged role in the smuggling.


“For almost a decade, Montenegro has been a haven for illegal trafficking, where criminals acted with impunity, while the ports of Bar and Kotor were used as logistics bases for motor boats, with protection which was guaranteed by the government,” the court’s document charges said.