A New Government

Vukasin Maras, Chief of the Secret Police is presently Minister of Police, while Slavko Drljevic is getting back to position of Vice-President.  Ministers whose resignation was demanded in the great national meeting in Podgorica by Momir Bulatovic’s supporters are also staying in government.

The truth be told, there is no need for political haggling with Momir Bulatovic because now the parties are different, and it seems, judging by everything, that it was not critical for Filip Vujanovic’s decision.  It seemed only intended to let Bulatovic and his mentors in Belgrade know that there is no stepping back from the course promoted by Milo Djukanovic last year in Montenegrin Parliament in his speech on the occasion of the election of his third government.  Vujanovic only confirmed what Djukanovic said at the time, backing it up with the fact that precisely those policies are getting full support from the international community, but also confirming the fact that Djukanovic already chose his staff which will carry out such policies.

Filip Vujovic stated that his government is a coalition — he offered seven posts to the opposition, and his cabinet includes people who are outside of the party.  With that he announced the possibility of a coalition for early elections.  Such a coalition could be made up of DPS, the People’s Party Ph.D. Novak Kilibarda, the Social Democratic Party, the Democratic Union of Albanians and the Party of Democratic Action.  Since the signing of the agreement between the government and DPS, not a single Liberal or member of the Democratic Union (Albanian) has entered government.

Thus, the new government includes people whose elimination was demanded not only by Bulatovic but by official Belgrade, while Filip Vujanovic did not at any moment desist from naming Bulatovic and Milosevic.  “The Government will carry out its responsibilities of protecting the system which ensures state integrity of Montenegro, its equality in a joint state and respect for the institutions in the system in Montengero,” stated Vujavoci, adding that “the Government will fight against extra-institutional strengthening of the federal state by resorting to the constitution”.  We will fight, states Vujanovic, against constitutional reduction of jurisdiction in the republic, but also against misuse of federal government which “harbors ambitions to establish patronage over agencies in Montenegro”, with the emphasis that Montenegro is “50 an equal state”, that it is useful for Montenegro to remain in a joint state, but no less so than for Serbia, and that a joint state is not more necessary for Montenegro than it is for Serbia.”

During the promotion of the new Government, Vujanovic announced the realization of the program which should significantly differ from the one in Serbia, but also from the one in the federal state, because reforms and privatization as general guidelines would also include complete opening to the international community.  The Montenegrin Government will demand from the Federal Government, headed by Kontic, that a program of reintegration of FRY into the international community, with clearly defined objectives, be defined, and that Federal Parliament establish responsible officials for realizing such policies on the levels of the republic and the federation.  Special emphasis was placed on foreign policy of the Montenegrin Government, establishing of neighborly relations with states created on territories of the former Yugoslavia, reliance on the European Union, USA and the Russian Federation.  A complete turnaround is being announced with regard to Croatia, with the observation of the error in Momir Bulatovic’s policy on Debeli Brijeg and keeping it closed because it does more harm for Croatia than for Montenegro, which Blackmails Montenegro.  Vujaovic announced support for opening up Debeli Brijeg, establishing good relations with Croatia, as soon, as is being said, better conditions are created for resolving the issue of Prevlaka.  A campaign is being announced in Head Security Council for opening up borders with Albania.  Front stage there is even greater emphasis on the policies which posed a stumbling block for both Milosevic and Bulatovic, and which are being cited as illustrations of claims that secession of Montenegro form Yugoslavia are still front stage.

On the same day when Filip Vujanovic confirmed in Government nearly all ministers who were marked as unsuitable several months ago by Bulatovic and the current from Belgrade, another appointment was made.  The former Minister of Culture, Goran Rakocevic, who was also not in grace with Bulatovic, and who later on his own initiative pulled out of Djukanovic’s government, has been appointed the new director of RTV Montengro.