Podgorica, (MINA) - The proposal to amend the Law on State Symbols and the Statehood Day of Montenegro, submitted by the Democratic People’s Party (DNP), and which foresees the introduction of the tricolor as the people’s historical flag, was not included in the agenda of Tuesday’s Parliament session.

A total of 21 MPs voted in favor of the DNP’s proposal, 22 voted against it, while 13 MPs abstained.

On February 2, the DNP submitted to the parliamentary procedure the Draft Amendments to the Law on State Symbols and the Statehood Day of Montenegro, which stipulates that the people’s flag should be permanently displayed on the buildings of the President and the Parliament, as well as that it may be displayed on the buildings of local governments and public institutions.

DNP MP Milan Knezevic said in the Parliament that the tricolor was one of the reasons why they left the government of Milojko Spajic.

“Today, the Europe Now Movement (PES) stated in a press release that this flag is not a topic for discussion and that they were not consulted”, said Knezevic.

According to him, this is a notorious untruth.

“They were consulted within the Government, but they did not want to talk to us, yet instead through the Secretary General of the Government announced that this should go through the Parliament”, said Knezevic.

PES MP Branka Markovic said that now is not the time to talk about these topics and that they do not want to create divisions.

“The day we join the European Union, we can discuss dual citizenship and the flag and the language, everything will be open”, added Markovic.

Andrija Nikolic of the Democratic Party of Socialists said that there is no logic in introducing a national flag in a civic state composed of several peoples and ethnic groups.