Washington, (MINA) – The European Union can and must push the Western Balkans forwards once again, because other counties will not wait and waste time, said president of Montenegro Milo Djukanovic.
“If the Western Balkans today is the last carriage of the European continent, it means that the EU is the one that will give more concrete contribution to the Western Balkans to bridge faster that gap of historical lagging behind, and catch up more logically and naturally with the modern Europe”, said Djukanovic.
According to him, when talking about Europe, importance of Euro-Atlantic partnership should not be forgotten.
Asked if there is true democracy in Montenegro without change of power, Djukanovic said that there is always true democracy if the election results are the reflection of the citizens’ free will.
“And likewise I do not believe that democracy is when a group feels fed up with a policy or politics of any individual, and thus, due to their feelings, is trying to change the power. That is not democracy, that is violence”, Djukanovic argues.
The Oppositions’ claims that there are no conditions for free elections Djukanovic rejected as unfounded and irresponsible.
“If I would tell you that Montenegro is a completely ideal society, that there is no crime, corruption or deformities, I presume that you would not believe me. Let’s be that critical towards such claims of the opposition, which has every right to be unsatisfied, since they have been losing in continuity for the last 30 years”, said he.
He reiterated that no election process was performed without observers from the Council of Europe and OSCE, who according to Djukanovic unanimously stated that elections were the expression of the free will of the citizens of Montenegro.
Djukanovic is not worried about new violence in the Balkans, but warns that, considering the history of the region, the integration process should be prevented from going downwards.
During his visit to Washington, Djukanovic presented the Order of the Montenegrin Star to spouse of late US Senator John McCain, Cindy.
According to the press release from Djukanovic’s office, the Senator was decorated posthumously for exquisite contribution to Montenegrin independence and reaching key foreign policy priorities of Montenegro, above all NATO membership.Longer version of article is available on a link MINA ENGLISH SERVIS
