Montenegro’s political tensions deepened after former Liberal Alliance leader Slavko Perović launched a blistering attack on former long-time ruler Milo Đukanović, accusing him of trying to “wash his biography” and preparing a political comeback amid renewed polarization in the country.
In a lengthy statement, Perović described Montenegro as a “private possession” built through the violent breakup of former Yugoslavia, organized crime and political manipulation, alleging that the country’s post-independence system remains shaped by networks created during Đukanović’s three decades in power.
Perović, once one of the strongest advocates of Montenegrin independence through the Liberal Alliance of Montenegro, argued that corruption, political clientelism and mass emigration continue to threaten the country’s future, warning that young and educated citizens are increasingly leaving the Balkan state.
The remarks come as Montenegro faces growing political fragmentation, tensions between pro-European and pro-Serbian blocs, and renewed debates over the legacy of Đukanović, who dominated the country’s political scene for more than 30 years before losing power in 2020.
Perović also called for broader unity among civic-oriented parties, saying Montenegro must focus on economic reforms, democratic consolidation and European integration instead of “another cycle of manipulation from the shadow rulers.”