Mandić: There is no majority to remove me, condolences misused for a campaign of falsehoods

Just as the initiators did not have sufficient support for their plans on the previous two occasions, this time too they will be faced with the fact that they do not have the necessary support to achieve their intentions – said President of the Parliament of Montenegro Andrija Mandić.

Commenting from Vienna, where he is on an official visit, on the opposition’s third initiative to remove him from office, particularly in the context of the stability needed to complete Montenegro’s EU accession process, he said that „such things are natural and an integral part of democracy“.

- Let me be completely clear - there is no required majority to remove the President of the Parliament of Montenegro - Mandić said.

The Democratic Party of Socialists’ initiative to remove him from office was submitted to Parliament yesterday. The reason cited was Mandić’s decision to publicly offer condolences following the death of Ratko Mladić, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for genocide in Srebrenica, crimes against humanity and other war crimes committed during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In a statement issued during his official visit to Austria, Mandić said the initiative was accompanied by „an exceptionally harsh and deeply untruthful political campaign full of lies and fabrications“. He said that his expression of condolences - an act which, in his words, is deeply rooted in Montenegro’s longstanding tradition - had been used to „attribute to that act everything that it was not and can never be“.

He also expressed regret that „this campaign of falsehoods has caused concern and pain among a certain number of people“.

- It is important to remind people that during those unfortunate 1990s, which are now being placed at the centre of a campaign of lies directed against me, Andrija Mandić did not hold any position in which key political and state decisions were made, nor was he actively involved in politics during that period. At the same time, the current authors of this initiative had absolute control over the whole of Montenegro, as well as significant political influence beyond its borders - Mandić added.

He said that „these people, who for so long kept Montenegro trapped in divisions over the past from positions of power, not allowing its citizens even to dream of a better tomorrow, now want to return us to their darkness when we are at the gates of the European Union“.

- The majority of Montenegro has decisively said „no“ to this on several occasions. The initiators of my removal will receive the same „no“ for the third time on 24 September. I believe this is their final attempt, under various pretexts, to stop Montenegro at the final stage of its accession process to the European Union - Mandić said.

He added that the European path is precisely the route along which Montenegro is building reconciliation.

- Following the example of France and Germany, which began the historic process of reconciliation and European integration just five years after the end of the Second World War, I am certain that we in Montenegro will also have enough strength, understanding and wisdom to overcome the divisions of the past and achieve genuine reconciliation among all the peoples living in our country - Mandić said.

In Vienna, he met with Walter Rosenkranz, President of the National Council of the Republic of Austria, saying that relations between Montenegro and Austria are based on friendship, mutual respect and a shared interest in a stable, secure and European future for the Western Balkans.

- Montenegro today has a historic opportunity to complete what it started long ago - to become a member of the European Union. Our goal is no longer simply to make progress - our goal is to conclude the negotiations and for Montenegro to become the next member of the European Union. We want our country to be the best news in the EU enlargement process - Mandić said.

A particular part of the talks focused on further strengthening ties between Montenegro and Austria in all areas of mutual interest.