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| Dritan Abazovic in an interview to VOA |
In Montenegro, the political crisis has recently deepened with another clash between the parliamentary majority and the incumbent President Milo Djukanovic. A few days before the presidential elections, Mr. Djukanovic dissolved the parliament and declared early elections on June 11, citing the current majority's inability to form a new government.
During an interview with Voice of America, the current Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic, whose government was overthrown by a vote of no confidence in August last year, says that the decision to terminate the parliament's mandate belongs to the deputies and not to the president.
He also comments on the US State Department's report on Human Rights, which considers corruption a significant problem for Montenegro.
In the interview, Mr. Abazovic is asked about the ongoing political crisis in Montenegro, and why he opposed President Djukanovic's decision to dissolve parliament and call early elections. He says that while he is not against the idea of parliamentary elections, any decision should be taken by political parties after the presidential elections.
He also emphasizes the importance of the Constitutional Court and the need for a functioning quorum. The Court's membership was only resolved on February 28, 2023, after a lack of quorum for two or three years.
Abazoviq, among other things, comments on the U.S. State Department's report on Human Rights, which considers corruption to be a significant problem for Montenegro.
Voice of America: Mr. Prime Minister, your country has been in a political crisis for several months now. Currently, you are leading a technical government. However, when an opportunity arose to resolve the situation with the decision of President Gjukanoviq to dissolve parliament and call for early elections, you sided with those who labeled this move as unconstitutional. You even made efforts to reform the government, which had lost confidence just a few months prior. Why?
Dritan Abazovic: Regarding the situation in Montenegro, I believe that everything is heading in the right direction. It is true that the government has a technical mandate, but during this mandate, which they thought would be short, and it did not happen, many decisions have been made in the parliament of Montenegro, and the budget has also been passed, which is a very important decision, and it has shown that there is a majority that supports the government, which is the main thing. We have had problems with the Constitutional Court, which is the most important issue. For two or three years now, we have not had a quorum in the Constitutional Court, but this issue has also been resolved, on February 28th, we made the appointment of Constitutional Court members. Just as at this moment, the only address that can say whether someone has violated the law or is working outside the constitution or based on the constitution is the Constitutional Court. Gjukanovic's decision came two days before the presidential elections. We had the first round of presidential elections last Sunday, we have the second round on April 2nd, and that too is in question because the destruction or dissolution of the mandate of the parliament should be in the hands of the deputies, not in the hands of the government, not in the hands of the president because we are a parliamentary democracy. I know that there are many misunderstandings, perhaps even in international organizations and among our partners, but we are a state that, based on the constitution, has established itself as a parliamentary democracy, and the main power is in parliament.
Voice of America: But are you still failing to form a government? And are you basing your efforts on changes made to the President's law, which have been considered unconstitutional by internal and external factors?
Dritan Abazovic: We have not yet reached the type of government you are talking about...
Voice of America: But you have made attempts...
Dritan Abazovic: We have had attempts, but we have not gotten there, as we have waited to create the Constitutional Court, as it is the only address that can say whether it is constitutional or not. The role of the parliament in any state is to bring laws. The role of the Constitutional Court is to control them, this is something very simple, I do not know why someone says it is unconstitutional. Who can say that?! We as politicians can say many things, but there is an institution that makes decisions in that direction. After we have made the choice of the Court, I can show you that everything has gone in the right direction. We had presidential elections in an atmosphere that has never happened in Montenegro. Completely relaxed, like in Western countries and now we will have the second round. I hope that after that we will have the new President of Montenegro and then, with full legitimacy, he can make decisions that are based on his duties.
Voice of America: During your stay in Washington, you met with American officials who made it clear that early elections would be the solution to the crisis in Montenegro. Throughout this time, Washington has been concerned about efforts to form a government based on the amended law for the president, which removed the competences of the head of state to determine the prime minister. Similarly, Washington does not support the reformulation of a government that has lost its mandate, implying yours. How do you respond to these concerns?
Dritan Abazovic: I do not know... you are trying to show that we do not have the support of Washington, I do not have that opinion. I apologize, but I do not have it. I think we have worked very closely in every aspect. That aspect also has to do with the policy towards Russia, the policy towards aid to Ukraine, the NATO policy, against corruption, organized crime, these things as you have said, I experience them that way, it may be your personal opinion or the opinion of some analysts and politicians.
Voice of America: These are comments from the American embassy in Montenegro.
Dritan Abazovic: What we have created in Montenegro... you should know that we are a state that has had the same power for 30 years, this is the main event and when changes came two years ago, it was known that an extraordinary stabilization could not be created. In those conditions, I think the country has made some extremely good decisions and we have ended a year which has been, at the global level, very complicated, 2022. We have passed last year with extremely good parameters in an economic way and with achievements in some political matters economically and with achievements in some political things, such as the fight against corruption, giving concrete results.
Voice of America: What would be the solution to the crisis in your opinion, are you in favor of early elections?
Dritan Abazović: We are for elections. In any country where there is a disagreement among the majority, elections must be held, but the first step must be to create the conditions in the Constitutional Court, this has been completed, including the presidential elections, which have come after the end of the president's term. it will end on April 2, and then the political parties will decide what to do. In case they want to go for the separation of the mandate, I agree, I am not against that. In the event that an electoral reform will be carried out, that too may be an issue, but in any case, elections will be carried out. Now there is a lot of talk about elections since the regular mandate ends in 2024, we are now in 2023, so are they going to be a few months earlier, a few months later... this is no longer an issue. I am not against the parliamentary elections, I think that they are meant to show the policy that we have affirmed these two years and only to gain power.
Voice of America: Mr. Prime Minister, when you came to power, you came with the flag of anti-corruption as your most important challenge. But in the US State Department report on the state of human rights in the world, as far as your country is concerned, it is said that corruption continues to be a problem that not only was not stopped but allowed to flourish further. Concerns have also been raised about partisan employment and problems with judicial independence. What is your responsibility regarding these problems that are evident?
Dritan Abazović: You are creating a dialogue as if everything I say is not true, and what you say is true, I do not see the point in having this kind of dialogue ...
Voice of America: I'm not saying it, the State Department is saying it ...
Dritan Abazović: Never in Montenegro, never in its history, has there been more of a war against corruption. We have the heads of the judiciary system in prison at the moment, the heads of the police system in prison, we have politicians on trial and many others in the future. We have the state with much better economic parameters, as taxpayers are more disciplined, we have the fight against cigarette smuggling, against cocaine. We have the fight against cocaine smuggling, which, in terms of the size of the state, can be compared to any state in the world and the United States of America. Have you heard of any state in the world where nearly 2 tons of cocaine were stopped for a year, with 600,000 inhabitants and a small port?
Voice of America: You are saying that there is a wrong perception about the results?
Dritan Abazović: There is no perception. We only have praise from Europol and the United States. The DASH report spoke about the judiciary system, which we have not yet touched because the law and the constitution do not allow it to be touched. We had a year of fighting to replace the chief prosecutor for organized crime. We had obstacles from our European partners, as they said it would be revenge of the new government. However, when they realized that the people we replaced were part of organized crime, everyone came and congratulated us for this job. I can see these things and people in Montenegro can see them. If we want to create a different climate from the truth? My goal is to tell the truth. You can ask the question and comment on how you think yourself.
Voice of America: I base the question on the US State Department report ... One last question, Mr. Prime Minister. At the end of February, the Constitutional Court of Montenegro became functional, electing three new members, but not the fourth candidate, a lawyer from Ulcinj, a representative of minority parties, whose election would complete this institution with all members. A second vote is expected soon. Do you expect that this time he will secure the votes?
Dritan Abazović: I am very much in favor of electing a lawyer from Ulcinj, not because he is from Ulcinj, but because we need to complete the Constitutional Court. And in the first round, he had the support of our party. The party that has not let me be elected is the party of the analysis that you have read, the former party of the still President of the state, Milo Djukanović. The party that likes to show itself as pro-European has not allowed one of the minorities to be appointed as a member of the Constitutional Court, and the party that you have read the data that things are not going well in Montenegro. We are something different. I hope that the candidate from the minority population will be elected. We will complete the Constitutional Court and the Constitutional Court can bring independent and professional decisions as they think. I think that with this question, someone who is listening to the interview has a clearer idea of what happened in Montenegro. So a system that has been blocked for 30 years will not let me go and will not let the state move forward. But those with the policies of the past and the policies of the 90s, want to create a narrative as if everything is not okay, since they are not in power, everything can end. No! It's not this. We will push Montenegro in the right direction with the challenges we have. They exist and we do not ignore them. And I think that our country has achieved its goal by becoming a member of the European Union as soon as possible.