The Most Beautiful Prison in the World

The association of the opposition of Montenegro to form the electoral coalition called People’s Party is flowing easier and faster than expected. The Social Democratic party joined the populists and liberals last week. So the first question for the leader of the Liberal Union of Montenegro Slavko Perovic was, is it expected that other parties will join the People’s Party?

Perovic: It would be natural that the Democratic Alliance of Albanians and SDA of Montenegro join us soon. Hadzic’s SDA will find itself in extremely delicate situation if it does not join the coalition, since it is absolutely clear that the rejection of coalition really means direct support to DPS, the party that openly backs up the minority status of the Albanians and Moslems in Montenegro. This means that, in the long run, their permanent "ghettoization" may lead to the liberalization of Montenegro. We hope those parties will demonstrate wisdom by rejecting the cheap hook, i.e. the explanation of the DPS leaders Bulatovic, Marovic and Djukanovic that dividing Montenegro into 14 electoral units was primarily aimed at protecting the interests of Albanians and Moslems. No! This was done to create the ever-present threat of lasting political destabilization of Montenegro and to keep the country in permanent subordination to DPS by method of using the Sward of Damocles. The case of Plav demonstrates that clearly. I also wish to express hope that the Albanian and Moslem voters will recall the human, not to say political courage of Liberal Union of Montenegro required in order to stand up in defense of the rights of Moslems and Albanians in Montenegro. This was done during the horrible times when their tragic destiny was directed from Podgorica and Belgrade.

I hope they will also recall what would have meant for them if the Liberal Union of Montenegro, God forbid, were to support the concept of sovereign, but ethnically-pure state of Montenegro. I hope they will understand that the DPS’s concept is profoundly directed against them, and of course against Montenegro.

Vreme: What are your chances at the elections?

Perovic: If we achieve the so-called big coalition of the four parties, our chances are absolute. But in case that does not happen, the power of the People’s party, Liberal Union and Social Democrat party and their real political authority will be sufficient for the electoral victory, regardless of the shrewdness of DPS and their initial stealing of 40,000 votes (which represents the total electoral potentials of, say, Niksic!) through so partitioning Montenegro. I hope that the political end of the autocratic and larcenous power of DPS is near. The victory of opposition in Montenegro would also contribute to the full relaxation of the environment and would represent a powerful impulse for the awakening of democratic Serbia.

There are frequent objections that the coalition of populists and liberals is a artificial alliance, a non-principaled coalition, etc., and that it is almost impossible for them to govern together. What can you say about that?

Any normal and benevolent person should be happy that Montenegro has begun to talk and has started to suppress divisions, especially those that are not to be blamed on contemporary generations: the whites, the greens, the reds. Montenegro says: "Enough!" and that should be heard.

Does that mean that Montenegro is entering an era that will be characterized by the final suspension of clashes along the green - white line, partisan - chetnics disputes that have been breaking it into half for centuries?

Exactly. From the first moment of our party’s existence we were saying we would not lead wars for Montenegro, that its sovereignty is not worth a single hair from the head of any of its boys, neither a tear from a child’s, sister’s or mother’s eye, or a father’s mourning. On the other hand, there are forces that persistently strive to renew such divisions, because they have Montenegro by the throat only for the sake of power, privileges, larceny etc.

What will be the basis of your election campaign?

Precisely the message: Citizens of Montenegro, it is the last moment to change this dungeon, to get out from the most beautiful prison in the world. We offer the solution; we do not call for assault as our ancestors did, but wish to summon you to the polling place. I believe that it is much easier to come to the polling place than it was to stand up at Vucji do (the Wolf Dale) and all the other wolf dales throughout our history. Remember that you were free people, respected and recognized by the whole world. If you miss to act accordingly, you will just confirm your status as convicts.

All coalition parties say it is necessary to conduct another referendum on the legal status of Montenegro. The party in power and some non-parliamentary parties have already reacted estimating that the splitting of SRY was at stage, the same way that previously "Slovenes and Croats had split SFRY"?

The recent recognition of Croatia in its internationally-recognized borders done by Serbia points right at the main disrupter of Yugoslavia - Slobodan Milosevic and his servants from Podgorica, the protagonists of the silliest war clash in history, not to mention some of its dreadful aspects. Why was the war led? Could it possibly be for Prevlaka such as Momir Bulatovic keeps trumpeting about!? Which Yugoslavia!? The one that functions like the Serbian fief of the family Milosevic-Markovic!? This state of Lilic-Kontic that forbids the Serbian people to return its name to their national state so that instead of the forged name Yugoslavia it could bear the simplest and most natural name Serbia!? What alleged Yugoslav patriot could stand more in defense!? All that and more ripens in the minds of the citizens of Montenegro. The message is slowly becoming understood for the sake of the present moment, aside from the differences on the national issues, religious issues, etc. Let’s feed into the computer the objective of the national income of $10,000 and the necessary reintegration with the world. Let’s ask the question: is Montenegro, with given conditions, more capable of rapidly achieving the two strategic goals as an independent state or in association with Serbia? All indicate that it could be done faster were it an independent state. Are there any negative consequences for Serbia? - there are not, but only positive ones. Independent Montenegro and independent Serbia are keys to finally appease the entire area and bring it back to the world. We’ll present all of this to the people and invite it to the referendum - and let it be as the people decide. Is there any disruption? No. Only the cheap political game that the citizens of Montenegro see through. In fact, those that claim so are the enemies of Montenegro and Serbia.

You have talked to the Serbian opposition leaders. What is their opinion?

They are also somewhat confused. They are astonished. On the other hand, we are confused by their behavior. At the more profound level we notice that, as politicians, they haven’t given up the imperialistic Serbian project. They believe that Milosevic has betrayed them and refuse to see that there was no chance for the success of the completely retrograded political project, even if had been led operationally by any of them instead of Milosevic. Therefore, there was no mistake in the choice of operators, but in the project itself; the mistake was not in Milosevic, but in the father of the nation - Cosic. Once this is realized, Serbia may move forward. Until then it will sink, although it has already reached the bottom.