(Podgorica, 2 July 2013) – Police Director Slavko Stojanovic has already, early in his carrier, succeeded to prove to his superiors that he is a “trustworthy man,” who in spite of it all will stand in the defence of their private interests. First he arrested those who are trying to highlight the plundering of the state and citizens and announced that the police would do the same in the future, only to show yesterday that the police lies following MANS’ latest performance.
Following yesterday’s action before the Parliament, marking the beginning of the VAT hike coming into effect – and once again demonstrating our stance towards those who are responsible for the fax that the citizens of Montenegro are paying the debts of domestic and foreign tycoons – there was a complete lack of police reaction (in spite of the “firm promise” by Stojanovic that we would be arrested again if we spilled anything before the parliament).
The lack of a police reaction, even though the performance was virtually identical to the one we were arrested for, demonstrates that the police had overstepped its boundaries in the first case, when after hours of interrogation of those arrested failed to come up with a justification for the arrests. This demonstrates that the arrests didn’t aim to protect so-called “threatened state property,” but only to brutally violate the fundamental human rights of MANS employees and to discourage others who are increasingly speaking out about the burning issues in the country.
Along these lines, we expect that the Council for Citizen Oversight of the Police will work as quickly as possible to adopt a conclusion that the police overstepped its jurisdiction and has for the umpteenth time behaved illegally towards MANS employees. Similarly, we expect that the Division for Internal Police Oversight within the Montenegrin Ministry of Interior (MUP) will identify and hold accountable those who participated in the decision to violate the rights of MANS employees.
Furthermore, the Communal Police of the Capital City of Podgorica also didn’t refrain form stating its position, asking that MANS restore the conditions that obtained prior to their action before the parliament a few hours after the protest.
The Communal Police statement state that MANS had carried out “actions that undermined the reputation and personality of the Prime Minister and Assembly President.” The protection of the image and deeds, especially that of state officials, is to us an unknown obligation of the Communal Police, even though in the statement issued to MANS they assume such responsibility.
Even though the water-colours could easily be cleaned off of the sidewalk, we suspect that
in spite of the Communal Police’s statement, the reputation and personality of the Prime Minister and Assembly President will be more difficult to clean.
Obviously, in spite of the repression MANS will continue to highlight key social problems, call things as they are and seek accountability for the brutal plunder of Montenegro and its citizens.
