Đukanović issues decrees on recalling ambassadors

(Patria) - President of Montenegro Milo Đukanović issued decrees on recalling ambassadors from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Italy, China, Germany, Poland, the Holy See, the Sovereign Order of Malta, and the United Arab Emirates. The Government had previously recalled ambassadors from China Darko Pajović, the Vatican Miodrag Vlahović, Bosnia and Herzegovina Obrad Stanišić, Italy Sanja Vlahović, Germany Vera Kuliš, Serbia Tarzan Milošević, Poland Budimir Šegrt, and the United Arab Emirates Dušanka Jeknić.

Đukanović announced that after the corrected reasoning of the Government of Montenegro's proposal for recall, and the procedure stipulated by the Constitution, he issued decrees on recalling the ambassadors of Montenegro from their duties as extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassadors, on a resident basis, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Italy, China, Germany, Poland, the Holy See, the Sovereign Order of Malta, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as ambassadors on a non-resident basis in Bahrain, Estonia, Indonesia, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, the Republic of Korea, San Marino, and Saudi Arabia.

“As I said on the first day – it is not questionable whether the new Government has the political legitimacy to undertake this initiative. Formally, it acquired that right through the election results of August 30. The expectation that the President of Montenegro prevents the use of that right is objectively an expectation that I should rewrite the election results. I will not do that, of course. All those who think differently today than they did on August 30, should keep that opinion for the next elections,” stated Đukanović.

It is another question, he says, whether the ruling coalition should have used that right differently.

“Let the public judge, based on this initiative as well, whether the new majority's priority is the creation of a professional diplomatic service, or the demonstration of power after the elections. In my opinion, this is revenge by which the new Government is showing its true political face, and ultimately its responsibility towards the State. What is also not questionable, but rather a necessity I insisted on, is that the use of political rights must not be abused to slander people. Therefore, the ambassadors whose recall is proposed must not be qualified as individuals working to the detriment and against the interests of the State. That is why I have not yet issued the decrees. And that is why I requested a correction of the reasoning publicly stated by government officials,” emphasized the President.

According to him, he did so after the reasoning now states, among other things, that the ambassadors are being replaced due to the Government's desire to ensure a more authentic interpretation of its policies in the international community, believing that through a renewed diplomatic staff, through the usual consultative process and respecting the cohabitation of authorities, it will contribute to the further professionalization of diplomatic representation and the continuation of the consistent fulfillment of Montenegro's strategic foreign policy priorities.

“I wish to point out that sending a note by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro to the ministries of foreign affairs of the host countries before the completion of the procedure stipulated by the Constitution of Montenegro shows that even after talks with representatives of the Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the new authorities confirm that they are actually not interested in cohabitation but in demonstrating power and revenge. I take note of this, and my attitude towards such practice will be adequate,” he said.

Đukanović thanked all those who were recalled based on the aforementioned initiative – ambassadors Vera Kuliš, Dušanka Jeknić, and Sanja Vlahović, and ambassadors Miodrag Vlahović, Tarzan Milošević, Darko Pajović, Obrad Mišo Stanišić, and Budimir Šegrt – for professionally and responsibly serving the interests of the state of Montenegro.

“These are phases of democratic development that the State must go through to be better, more legally regulated, and democratically more mature. I hope that this experience will serve us to preserve and build upon Montenegro's reputation in the world in the future, by preserving the dignity and profession and people, and respecting legal procedures,” concluded Đukanović.