Gutić: Montenegro has gone through the catharsis of political maneuvering and petty political games serving other people’s interests

Vice-President of the Bosniak Party and a minister in the Government of Montenegro, Damir Gutić, described the initiative for an interpellation concerning the work of Minister of Foreign Affairs Ervin Ibrahimović as meaningless, saying that its aim is to try to divert Montenegro from its European path.

- Montenegro secures its independence and its universal goal through integration into NATO and the EU! We have completed half the job. The second half is close. Since the Bosniak Party joined the 44th Government of Montenegro, we have closed 15 negotiating chapters. That is one of our programme objectives! There are another 15 that are in the final stage. As we expect to achieve this goal by the end of the year, nervousness is growing among those who are working against Montenegro - Gutić said in a statement to the public.

He stressed that the citizens of Montenegro have clearly and overwhelmingly opted for European values and the rule of law. However, he said, this majority is not always equally clear among decision-makers.

- In some places it is merely declarative, while with the Bosniak Party it is substantive - Gutić emphasised.

That, he said, is why there are meaningless initiatives aimed at halting Montenegro’s path towards the European Union.

- It has become clear who the progressive force behind European integration is. And let them blame Ervin Ibrahimović for Montenegro’s European path. He is indeed its main advocate. He is indeed someone who, from his position as Minister of Foreign Affairs, speaks out loudly and consistently in favour of it. And he will continue to do so, without making calculations - Gutić said.

According to him, the Bosniak Party strongly and pro-Europeanly supported the Government of Milojko Spajić because it wants to complete another process which, Gutić said, will unequivocally open up prospects for the citizens of Montenegro while closing them off to those working to slow down that process.

- Today, more than ever, we need statesmanship rather than party politics! We need all stakeholders to unite in order to complete the European path. We need unequivocal support from the entire executive and legislative branches of government, the opposition, academia, the media, the NGO sector and citizens, who should recognise these efforts and results. We need all those who consider themselves Europeans to publicly declare their support - Gutić emphasised.

He said that Montenegro had gone through the catharsis of political maneuvering and petty political games serving other people’s interests.

- Rhetorical obstacles cannot stop the European wheels! We know our European path - Gutić said in the statement.