Protests Today in Podgorica and Cetinje: Nine Demands to Be Submitted to the Ministry of Interior

(Patria) - Following the horrific crime that struck the Montenegrin capital on January 1, the informal student group Kamo sjutra, consisting of male and female students from various Montenegrin faculties and universities, has announced civil protests in Cetinje and Podgorica. They are calling on citizens to stop for 12 minutes in silence today, January 5, at 5:26 PM at the Lovćenska vila monument in Cetinje to pay tribute to the victims.

The informal student group invites all citizens to also pay tribute to the victims with 12 minutes of silence in Podgorica on the same day at 7:30 PM, after which they will gather in front of the Ministry of Interior building.

Earlier, they stated that recent events in Montenegro have further contributed to citizens not feeling safe in their country.

"Freedom of speech, quality education, social justice, equality, and security in Montenegrin society, as they emphasize, are seriously threatened.

"Therefore, our goal is clear – a fight for a democratic and safe society, without violence. A society that does not agree to remain silent and submit, but clearly acts in the interest of all citizens," they added.

They particularly emphasized that the collective of Montenegrin students has no connection with any political party, and that the protest is organized without any party influence.

"We demand that political parties respect this and contribute to keeping this a gathering without any party symbols. If you cannot be in Cetinje to pay tribute, pay tribute in your cities on Sunday at 5:30 PM," was the message from the students.

Let us recall, Aco Martinović killed 12 people and seriously wounded four in Cetinje on January 1. Ahead of today's protest, the students published nine demands that will be submitted to the Ministry of Interior.

The students demand the resignations of Minister of Interior Danilo Šaranović and Deputy Prime Minister for Security and Defence Aleksa Bečić.
The second demand is the demilitarization of society and the confiscation of weapons, along with a review of all permits issued in the previous period.

The third demand is the establishment of community policing.

The fourth demand involves the reintroduction of civic education as a compulsory subject in primary and secondary schools.

The fifth demand is the declaration of a moratorium on issuing new weapons permits until changes to the law are made.

The sixth demand concerns preventing the legal purchase of weapons without prior authorization for weapon possession.

The seventh demand is the tightening of conditions for possessing hunting weapons.

The eighth is stricter control of shooting clubs that issue fictitious certificates to citizens to facilitate obtaining permits.

The ninth demand is the introduction of a high monthly tax on the possession and holding of weapons.

(N. Kovačević)