Đukanović: Montenegro’s decision to restore its state independence has proven justified, I sleep peacefully knowing how I acted

I believe it has proven justified that Montenegro restored its state independence. Our argument was that we wanted to govern our own future, and the next sentence was that we knew this future would be European and Euro-Atlantic. Serious results have been achieved - said the former President of Montenegro and former leader of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), Milo Đukanović, in an interview with the BBC Serbian Service.

Đukanović reflected on referendum day, May 21, 2006, when Montenegro restored its independence with the votes of more than 230,000 citizens. He says he was aware the result would be close, but that his entire focus that day was on doing everything within their power.

- Given the long preparation for the referendum and the awareness that the result would be close in a Montenegro that has historically been fundamentally divided, my entire preoccupation that day was to do everything within our power - to remind the people we were in contact with, whom we knew supported the idea of independence, to fulfill their civic duty so that in the end we could celebrate a positive referendum result - he said.

Đukanović does not hide that there was also a great deal of anxiety during those days.

- Both then and now, I understood Montenegro’s political and social reality very well, aware of all its problems, one of the most difficult being Montenegro’s division, especially within the majority religious community - the Orthodox community. I knew those divisions were highly emotional regarding this issue. In the end, I knew the result would be close - said the former Montenegrin president.

Serbia, he added, is many times larger than Montenegro, and Montenegro’s insistence on equality greatly irritates Serbia, just as Montenegro is irritated by Serbia’s insistence on the role of the „big brother“. In addition, he stressed, the economies are very different.

- Serbia is predominantly an industrial country that, due to such a structure, needs to protect its economy with high customs tariffs. Montenegro is a country of services and tourism that insists on full openness. The ideological differences are also very pronounced. Montenegro is structurally predestined to be a civic state. Serbia, where the Serbian people are dominant, assumes the obligation to care for Serbs in neighboring countries and throughout the region. It assumes a kind of paternalistic role. That paternalism does not bypass Montenegro, which is also a source of misunderstanding. All these misunderstandings and differences only led the two states further apart. Perhaps two decisive steps on that path occurred in 1999 - first and foremost, the entry into war with NATO. At that time, we openly said that we did not want that war because we believed that in the near future we would become a NATO member state and that we wanted to build a partnership with the military alliance. The second step was the introduction first of the Deutsche Mark and later the euro into Montenegro’s payment system, which was a consequence of repeated experiences with hyperinflation created in Belgrade that spilled over into Montenegro and caused enormous social and economic consequences - Đukanović explained.

According to him, this sequence of events ultimately led to the conclusion: „No, this is irreparable, we would only continue wasting time here“.

- Instead, we needed a scenario of a peaceful and agreed separation in which Serbia would assume responsibility for its future and Montenegro for its own, and if we were wise, we would continue living in good neighborly relations and in the closeness natural between kindred peoples - Đukanović said.

„Serious progress was made in democratization“

Reflecting on the period since the restoration of independence, Đukanović believes serious results were achieved in economic development, primarily due to substantial foreign direct investment, which, he recalled, amounted for years to 19 or 20 percent of GDP in independent Montenegro.

- Serious progress was made in democratization, resulting in Montenegro obtaining an invitation for NATO membership, opening all negotiation chapters with Europe, closing 14 or 15 chapters, and today holding a leading regional position on the path toward the European Union. When we look at these key achievements, we cannot be dissatisfied - Đukanović assessed.

However, he believes much remains to be done because, as he says, all countries in the region are dealing with a difficult legacy.

- Unfortunately, throughout history we spent more time fighting wars than working. There is still a great deal of work left. I think the most important thing in Montenegro now is to continue the long-term process of institution-building. Montenegrin society has a tradition of being more inclined toward individual authority, not to say a cult of personality, than toward respect for institutions. I believe we are on the path toward achieving tangible results - he emphasized.

Regarding the frequent criticism aimed at the government that ruled until 2020, Đukanović believes the long years spent in opposition led today’s ruling parties to reduce all politics after the change of government to criticism of the previous administration.

- Today, if someone listened only to them, they would conclude there was not a single achievement in the previous period. There were good results, and there were mistakes - what government exists without mistakes? There is no doubt that those mistakes, along with the long duration of our rule, were important factors among the reasons that led to the change of government on August 30, 2020. As for which government was better, it is still too early to judge - Đukanović said in the interview.

The former Montenegrin president says he does not despair over the change of government and believes Montenegro passed that test successfully as well.

- Everyone thought blood would flow to the knees once power changed hands. Instead, there were congratulations and a swift transition. The people who won a minimal advantage over us immediately had the chance to form a government and begin working. If you ask me how that work is being done today - in my opinion, unsatisfactorily. I do not even consider it an excuse that I see a general decline in the quality of politics. That is not characteristic only of Montenegro or the Balkans - the quality of politics is collapsing everywhere. But developed countries can more easily cope with a seasonal decline in political quality. Countries like those in the Balkans do not have that privilege. We should restore seriousness to politics as quickly as possible and return full normality to the state policies of our Balkan countries - Đukanović stressed.

„In the absence of evidence against me, they are trying to criminalize people around me“

Commenting on claims by critics and political opponents that the „circle is tightening“ around him because of recent arrests, Đukanović said he knows exactly what he did and how he did it, and that the authorities are now, in the absence of evidence against him, trying to criminalize people close to him.

- I know that after a change of government in the Balkans, perhaps even more so in Montenegro, revanchism is inevitable. The new authorities, in their desire to show that everything before them was worthless, often do so because they struggle to demonstrate their own qualities, so they change the subject. In Montenegro, the easiest thing is to target the man who personified power for 30 years - and that is me. I have no problem understanding that. But they have a greater problem escaping their own prejudices. Their prejudices were that there had been some kind of wild, predatory privatization, massive nepotism, protection of crime and criminal clans. Today, six years later, there is none of that. In the absence of evidence for what they assumed, they are now alternatively trying to criminalize people from my circle - according to the principle of „the more, the better“ - hoping that this way they can prove everything was criminal, since they obviously have no evidence that I was personally involved in criminal activities - Đukanović said.

He added that he trusts Montenegro’s judiciary to conduct its work in the spirit of the best traditions of Montenegrin justice, traditions that, in his opinion, everyone should be proud of. However, he said he has no doubt that all of this is a consequence of a revanchist atmosphere.

- It is the creation of a revanchist atmosphere in which leaders of parties within the ruling coalition compete over who will target more people from the previous government, while committing numerous omissions and illegalities in the process that will likely be reviewed at some point in the future. I regret that this remains the main topic in Montenegro, but I believe it is all part of the democratic maturation of the region. I believe we have made progress and are not far from the point when new governments will prove themselves primarily through the quality of their vision and their ability to implement that vision better than their predecessors - he said.

„May Montenegro never have bigger problems than three unregistered weapons found at Aco Đukanović’s home“

Speaking about the arrest of his brother Aco Đukanović, the former president repeated that this too is an example of revanchism.

- It would be ideal for all the creators and promoters of that policy of revenge if they could somehow reach Milo Đukanović directly. They cannot. Not because of anything else, but because I know what I did and how I did it. Nobody protected me - I protected myself for all those 30 years, and that is why I live completely peacefully. But it is true that, for important people in Montenegro’s new ruling majority, the only way to make any impact through their revanchism is: if we cannot get to Milo, let us get to those around him. So neither my party colleagues, nor my former associates in government and parliament, nor my family, including my brother, have been spared. We see all of this as a desperate attempt by people who do not know what to do intelligently in politics and who are trying to settle scores. We have no doubts about who is behind it, but we are made of tougher material than they assume - Đukanović emphasized.

He also described the arrest of Aco Đukanović as „a caricature-like attempt“ to compromise his brother.

- My brother is a very strong man and prepared for much more difficult trials than these caricature-like attempts to compromise him over a completely banal issue. When you begin with stories about how I and everyone around me committed terrible crimes, and in the end all those crimes amount to three or four firearms from known legal origins, not from any suspicious source, but with a clearly neglected obligation to register them or renew the permits, then one should view that with pride. May Montenegro never face greater problems than three unregistered firearms found at Aco Đukanović’s home - the former president said.

„A happy state is one that knows where its borders are and does not think about expanding them“

Speaking about relations between Montenegro and Serbia, Đukanović said they are not at a satisfactory level because, in his opinion, the potential for good cooperation is much greater than what has been achieved.

- Relations between Serbia and Montenegro have both historical and contemporary complications. It seems to me that many people in Serbia today, especially those in power, experienced Montenegro’s departure from the union with Serbia on May 21, 2006, in a traumatic way. I see no reason for that. I believe a happy state is one that knows where its borders are and does not think about expanding them. Secondly, a happy state is one that has responsible people who treat the state as their home, improve it, and create conditions for a better quality of life for citizens. And a happy state is one that, thanks to serious domestic policies, builds the best possible relations first with its neighbors and then with the broader international community - said the former DPS leader.

Serbia, he added, is a large country, especially by Balkan standards. Đukanović believes it would be very wise and effective for Serbia’s future if it focused more on modernizing and reorganizing its own house.

- If it spent less time asking whether Montenegro left by mistake or interfering in the internal arrangements of other states in the region. In Montenegro, we nurture a somewhat different formula. The differences are obvious, Montenegro does not have such ambitions, while Serbia, I fear, still does, and is wasting time that could be better used to realize its own potential for the benefit of its people and the future of the state - Đukanović assessed.

He also said he last spoke with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić in 2020 in Jerusalem during a gathering they both attended.

- During that ceremonial dinner, we had two hours to discuss some very heated issues from that period. I believe I was also in Belgrade around that time. Everything changed in 2020, after the change of government in Montenegro, when my institutional obligations toward Serbia were significantly reduced. On the other hand, shaken mutual trust - not only between President Vučić and myself, but also with many people in the authorities in Belgrade - made me feel there was no real reason to go there anymore. I have no negative emotions; we simply did not meet. I live very well here, and I also spend time at many addresses around the world, and I believe everything will eventually fall into place in relations between Serbia and Montenegro - Đukanović said.

„I am satisfied with my achievements and today I want more peace for myself“

Asked whether a return to politics could be expected, Đukanović replied that it is not realistic and that he now wants more peace in life.

- I spent more than enough time on the front lines of politics. Moreover, I am satisfied with my achievements, and today I want something different for myself. I want more peace compared to the political treadmill. I want a different kind of life. The time I once spent with political colleagues, I now spend with my grandchildren, and I enjoy it. I would not trade that for all the offices in the world. I am still here, with my experience and with energy that has not yet been completely exhausted. At this stage of life, I am not inclined to embark on some new professional path. Naturally, politics will remain a subject that interests me, and naturally, I will always share my views on local or global issues with those who care about my opinion and whom I feel close to. It is definitely time for new generations, and I think it is good news that Montenegro has generations fully ready to seriously take responsibility for Montenegro’s strategic national interests - the former president said.

„I would not deny anyone the right to become better by changing their views“

Asked whether it would be paradoxical if Montenegro entered the European Union under a government and parliamentary majority containing people who had opposed Montenegrin independence, Đukanović said he sees this as a normal part of democratic evolution.

- We all once had different political views. In the early 1990s, I sincerely believed that the Yugoslav federation should be preserved. But over time and through experience, I realized that opportunity had been lost, and I became the leader of the policy that led Montenegro to independence. Therefore, I would not deny anyone the right to become better by changing their views - Đukanović stressed.

Asked how he sees Montenegro in 20 years, Đukanović said his first thought is that the country should be significantly more economically developed. He added that Montenegro experienced a strong developmental momentum immediately after independence, but believes the country has stagnated in recent years.

- The current government is focused on increasing consumption, and that spiral of consumption is growing day by day because its goal is to win votes from those who now have higher salaries or pensions. If that were grounded in the real economy, everyone would welcome it. But if, on the other hand, you see no real GDP growth and no investments, then concerns naturally arise about how sustainable that is - Đukanović assessed.

According to him, Montenegro has excellent development potential in tourism, energy, food production, and in the continued improvement of transport and other infrastructure.

- There is a tremendous amount of work ahead for many governments in the coming years. Politically, we can hardly lose our way anymore. Through NATO we gained a framework, and now through the EU we have a serious institutional framework. The commitment to continue toward full adoption of the European system of values is no longer in question. I see a Montenegro that will be significantly more economically developed, with its resources fully utilized, and the condition for that is first obtaining a good and responsible government - Đukanović concluded.