Belan: The tricolor flag in Žabljak is not a symbol, but an illegal political message, part of the „Serbian world“ agenda

The decision of the Municipal Assembly of Žabljak to display the tricolor flag on the building of the local government and on all companies founded by the Municipal Assembly has triggered strong political reactions and raised serious questions about legality, political agenda, and the direction in which local and state politics are being led.

The NSD initiative with support of coalition partners

At the proposal of the President of the Municipal Assembly of Žabljak, as well as all councilors of New Serbian Democracy (NSD) in the local parliament, an initiative was adopted to display the tricolor flag on the building of the local government and on all companies established by the Municipal Assembly of Žabljak, NSD announced yesterday. According to the party, the display of the tricolor was unanimously supported by coalition partners - the Durmitor Initiative and Democratic Montenegro.

One of the leaders of the European Alliance, Vatroslav Belan, told Portal ETV that this move is not an isolated case, but part of a long-planned political strategy.

- New Serbian Democracy and the parties of the former Democratic Front are merely fulfilling their program goals, using the platform and assistance provided to them at the state and local levels by the Europe Now Movement, parties representing minorities, and numerous civic lists which, more or less openly and depending on current interests, form part of the political and ideological framework led by Andrija Mandić, and essentially by Aleksandar Vučić - Belan said.

The goals remain the same, only the methods are different

He recalled that such moves have been warned about for years.

- For years we have clearly announced and precisely described the goals of the parties of the former Democratic Front. For years we have reminded the public of Andrija Mandić’s statement that his goals remain the same, only the methods are different. NSD reiterated this once again a few days ago - Belan stated.

Spajić’s passivity as space for implementing the agenda

According to him, the implementation of that agenda is taking place gradually, with the tacit or conscious tolerance of the current government.

- They are using the alleged disinterest of Prime Minister Spajić, who pretends to stand above the situation with banal remarks about „village“ issues, to implement step by step the agenda of the „Serbian world“ in Montenegro. We have also been warning for months that precisely through such actions, the pawns of Aleksandar Vučić will attempt to divert Montenegrin society’s focus from the EU agenda at the final stage of the negotiation process - Belan warned.

The controversial thesis of the „right of the majority“

He considers particularly problematic the claim by the majority councilors in the Žabljak Municipal Assembly that Serbs, as the majority in that municipality, have a guaranteed right for their symbol - the tricolor - to be on all institutions.

- That thesis would be correct if Serbs in Montenegro were recognized as a minority people in accordance with the Law on Minority Rights and Freedoms. Are the gentlemen from NSD now saying precisely - that Serbs are part of our rich corpus of minority peoples in civic Montenegro, of which we are rightly proud, and that from this, I would say new fact, they wish to derive the rights that belong to them - Belan asked.

Two possibilities - both with consequences

He emphasized that the matter is essentially clear.

- If parties advocating the „Serbian world“, led by Andrija Mandić, wish to designate Serbs in Montenegro as members of a minority people, then the decision of the Žabljak Municipal Assembly has justification. I do not have the space now to elaborate on what that would mean for our political system and that it would represent a new circumstance leading to almost tectonic changes in Montenegrin politics and society - Belan said.

The law must be applied

However, he added that if Serbs, as until now, are not considered a minority people in Montenegro, the consequences must be different.

- If these parties do not consider Serbs to be a minority people in Montenegro, then it is clear that they have violated the law and that the decision on the flags must be withdrawn, or it must be annulled by the competent authority of the Government, in accordance with Articles 183 and 184 of the Law on Local Self-Government - Belan concluded.