Eraković: Is distancing oneself from a war criminal a matter of principle or not; Camaj: Until you distance yourselves from „Orlov let“, you will not have our support

Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) Member of Parliament Jevto Eraković told Deputy Parliament Speaker Nikola Camaj during today’s parliamentary session that political consistency requires a clear position on war crimes and those who glorify them.

Eraković told Camaj that it was important to remain politically consistent.

- There has been enough talk about everyone concluding that justice and the law must be equal for all, unless you are an official of the parliamentary majority. In that case, if you glorify a war criminal or abuse your official position, the law should not apply to you because you are a representative of the majority - Eraković said.

Deputy Parliament Speaker Nikola Camaj, of the Albanian Forum, responded that, for them, consistency means opposing what was done to Albanians in the past.

- You still have an opportunity - until you distance yourselves from „Orlov let“ („Eagle's Flight“), you will not have our support - Camaj said.

Eraković asked Camaj whether distancing oneself from a war criminal was a matter of principle or not, referring to Camaj’s announcement that he would not vote for the DPS initiative to dismiss Parliament Speaker Andrija Mandić, who sent a message of condolence following the death of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić.

- Think carefully about that. There may be many political acrobatics in politics, but this is the essence of civilizational progress. If someone commits a war crime and, through his orders, kills more than 8,000 civilians, and someone in the position of Parliament Speaker pays tribute to him, then it is the civilizational duty of anyone who considers that a crime to condemn it and to have nothing to do with the person who glorifies it. There is no political acrobatics or explanation that can justify this - Eraković said.

Eraković also said he was proud when he read a statement by former Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani.

- She sent a message to the then President of Montenegro, Milo Đukanović, and to everyone who saved her and hundreds of thousands of Albanians who fled Kosovo and found refuge in Montenegro. Do you think it was easy to do that at the time, and that someone’s head was not on the line for those who were expelling them and eagerly waiting for the same crime that happened in Srebrenica to happen in Kosovo? That is the pride of Montenegro and the Montenegrin tradition of čojstvo - helping someone in their hour of need, at a moment when you are putting your own life on the line, but want to show what kind of person and host you are. I am proud of that and always will be, although I was not part of that policy at the time. This is a matter of principle - how you position yourself towards a crime, a criminal, and those who glorify them - Eraković said.

Camaj said there had been positive steps during that period and that he appreciated them, but added that „something happened“ that affected how the successors of that political establishment today relate to Albanians from Montenegro, who, he said, made a major contribution to restoring Montenegro’s independence.

- At that point, you would be changing our position towards all possible proposals in the future. Our position towards criminals and perpetrators has always been clear, but you must understand that the crime we are talking about today was followed by significant assistance from your political predecessors. You need to understand that in order to distance yourselves from it and to be in a position to make such proposals. Otherwise, I am grateful for all the assistance provided to Kosovars, and they appreciate it. Distancing yourselves from „Orlov let“ is your duty, and it would open the door to better cooperation - Camaj said.