(Podgorica, 27 June 2012) – The recent receipt of a date for the start of accession negotiations to the EU, accompanied by very strict criteria, is important for all those who are resisting organized crime. This marks the first step in the liberation of Montenegro.
The decision by the Council of Ministers of the EU is the best that could be expected, since any delay from the beginning of negotiations would be dangerous because it would strengthen the forces and individuals that are not interested in seeing true reforms and the rule of law.
On the other hand, Montenegro is the first country that has been explicitly told while engaged in the process of integration to realize concrete results and have an independent analysis done of its status with respect to organized crime.
This illustrates how untrue the assessments of our officials were that stated that organized crime and corruption are appearances in all societies. The problem of organized crime is so large that it almost shut down Montenegro’s integration into the EU, which has now been confirmed by EU functionaries.
If we were only a transitional space for the smuggling of drugs and weapons, and not a Mecca for the laundering of money that ends up in the pockets of people from the government and large business, EUROPOL would not be particularly mobilized to analyze exactly what it is that Montenegro has done in the fight against organized crime groups.
Given that the European Commission (EC) will emphasize the completion of strict criteria demonstrates that this government hasn’t done enough to tear apart the web of organized crime in which it has been embedded for almost two decades. Now it is obvious that this will not occur until a new Prime Minister doesn’t decisively cut ties with the heads of organized crime and points the finger directly at those who’ve captured this state.
The Council of Ministers of the EU has done a tremendous service to Montenegro, since it clearly demonstrated that they will not negotiate with individuals tied to the Mafia. For this reason, the current government headed by Igor Luksic – a puppet in the hands of organized crime – will have the shortest mandate in history. Citizens and the opposition will offer resistance in the early elections being called.
They must not allow that another person with ties to organized crime be allowed to assume the position of head of state.
