The former president of Montenegro and the leader of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), Milo Djukanovic, announced in a guest appearance on Al Jazeera TV that Europe could find itself on the opposite side of America. He stressed that he felt safe in his country. Djukanovic also said that the religious processions were a clero-nationalist counter-revolution aimed at revising the state’s character.
Answering the question of what global implications the first decisions of the newly-elected American President Donald Trump could have, he said that the election of the new American president undoubtedly has implications for global politics.
Djukanovic emphasized that he was convinced that it would not be a world order similar to today’s, which rested on the monopoly of one world superpower. This world order arose at the end of the Cold War which ultimately led us to the fact that today the key geopolitical topic will be – when will the third world war begin?
He added that it was important to treat the Euro-Atlantic partnership carefully and pointed out that the situation in all Western Balkan countries was worse than in 2013.
According to him, the state of neighbourly relations in the region is worse than it was.
Djukanovic reflected on the worsened state of stability and the lack of reforms in the Western Balkans, noting that countries in the region now had far lower expectations of the EU compared to the past. Once highly pro-European, public enthusiasm has significantly decreased, he stressed, recalling discussions at Western Balkan summits where regional leaders, including Serbia’s president and North Macedonia’s former prime minister, warned about the decline in support for European integration. Additionally, Prime Minister Kovacovski’s prediction that any party advocating for EU membership in North Macedonia would lose elections had unfortunately proven accurate.
When asked about Western politics towards the Western Balkans, he said that it had been pro-Russian in recent years, considering the consequences.
“That policy blew the wind at the back of the Serbian World, and it is the same as the Russian World. That policy was created by the State Department, and Europe just followed it”, he pointed out.
The primary goals were to separate Serbia from Russia and Serbia is not further from Russia today than it was then, nor has anything been done regarding Kosovo.
Commenting on how strong the forces of the Serbian World are in Montenegro and the neighbourhood, Djukanovic said that Russia felt the space to intervene.
Djukanovic discussed the rise of an alternative to the European path in the Western Balkans, driven by nationalists and their supporters. He noted that this shift had been enabled by those who, whether intentionally or due to other interests, allowed such policies to spread. When asked about the challenge this presents for Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, he affirmed that it was indeed a challenge. Regarding Montenegro, he highlighted the strong presence of Greater Serbian nationalism and pro-Russian policies, which had dominated since 30 August 2020, replacing the country’s previous pro-European and Euro-Atlantic orientation. These policies now hold a majority in Montenegro.
Djukanovic addressed the persistent claims that he was to blame for everything in Montenegro, even five years after the government change. He suggested that a careful analysis of Montenegro’s political evolution since 30 August 2020, would reveal the shift that began with the religious processions, which he described as the clergy’s role in a nationalist counter-revolution. He argued that that movement sought to transform Montenegro from a secular, pro-Western, NATO-oriented state into a national, Serbian, theocratic state, ultimately aiming to make Montenegro part of the “Serbian World.” Djukanovic criticized the current government for trying to erase the accomplishments of the previous governments up to 2020.
Djukanovic reflected on the achievements of the previous governments in Montenegro, emphasizing that during that time, Montenegro was the only Yugoslav republic to avoid war. He highlighted key accomplishments, such as Montenegro achieving self-sufficiency for the first time in its history in 1994, avoiding NATO bombing despite being part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and skillfully securing an independence referendum, which was conducted according to European standards and led to Montenegro regaining its independence. He also pointed out that Montenegro joined NATO, entered the EU membership process, and attracted €11bn in direct foreign investments during that period.
He emphasized that he had a dilemma as to whether we had finished with the politics of the 1990s.
Djukanovic expressed concern that Western politics had shifted its approach, particularly in the Western Balkans. He believes that at some point, Western powers abandoned the idea of treating all six Western Balkan countries equally, intending to help everyone achieve a European future and overcome development disparities. Instead, he suggested that Western policy had shifted toward controlling the region through the largest countries, particularly Serbia, and possibly Albania, which he views as a troubling development.
Djukanovic, when asked if he felt safe in Montenegro as both a politician and a citizen, expressed confidence in his country, saying he felt safe and proud to have been part of the generation that restored Montenegro’s statehood. He also addressed a comment by a young opposition politician in Serbia, who claimed that most of Montenegro’s population is Serbian or nearly so. Djukanovic rejected this view, noting that such interpretations of Montenegro’s identity and national affiliation are rooted in outdated ideas from the 19th century.
However, while feeling secure in his country, Djukanovic acknowledged his concern about the developments in Montenegro, especially over the past four years. He specifically pointed to the tragic events in Cetinje, which highlighted the deterioration of state functions, including security. He warned that the security system in Montenegro was on the verge of collapse, unable to guarantee basic safety to its citizens. He expressed empathy for the victims of violence but emphasized that sympathy alone is not enough.
He stressed that the country must face the consequences of the current government’s actions and called for a collective reflection on the role each citizen had played in creating the current environment. According to Djukanovic, Montenegro must implement changes to restore stability, ensure European prosperity, and most importantly, ensure the safety of every citizen in Montenegro./Al Jazeera Balkans