In a wide-ranging, exclusive interview with The Pavlovic Today Montenegro’s Prime Minister, Dritan Abazovic, has spoken about upcoming second round of presidential elections, and the potential departure of long-time leader Milo Djukanovic. 

“The departure of Djukanovic would represent the fulfillment of a great goal and promise we made in 2020. It would be a triumph of the politics that the people of Montenegro have wholeheartedly embraced,” Abazovic declared.

Abazovic touted the values of his party, URA, which he said has set a new standard that all adhere to. 

“My party, URA, has set a new standard for values that everyone now adheres to. Reconciliatory and good neighborly policies are now the norm, and the dangers of nationalism in politics are finally being recognized.Everyone supports the fight against corruption and organized crime. There is a newfound appreciation for the importance of civil society. We have made significant progress in embracing minorities, and our political agenda has come to fruition,” he said.

“What this politics now needs is for Djukanovic to be defeated in the next round of the Presidential election, which will finally end the three-decade-long era of his rule. This would open a new chapter in a new age of politics in Montenegro, where people will be able to elect their leaders without fear and foster innovation to function as a developed democracy,” the Prime Minister noted.

According to PM Dritan Abazovic, Djukanovic’s departure from power carries significant symbolic and substantive weight. “It is good for Djukanovic to personally experience defeat. It is good for his politics to be finally put to rest.”

However, he expressed doubt about whether Djukanovic has come to terms with the end of his rule. “I believe that since he ran for office, he did not accept it,” Abazovic explained.  “The lust for power dominates the man, and that’s why I don’t think he accepted,” he added.

 “The most important thing is that the citizens have accepted that Milo Djukanovic is no longer here. What’s most important is that the people have spoken, and they’ve made it clear that they’re ready to move on without Djukanovic. The people of Montenegro have accepted that they can, must, and should move forward without him.”

In the wake of events in Brazil, which have been compared to the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, there may be concerns about whether Montenegro can expect a peaceful transfer of power if Djukanovic loses the election. However, Abazovic does not foresee any scenario which could undermine the integrity of the election.

“I expect the second round of the Presidential election to turn out as the first one. Everything we have done in the past two and a half years has made it clear that no one can interfere with the state of Montenegro. I do not envision any such scenario,” the Prime Minister stated unequivocally.

“The wheel of democracy cannot not be stopped,” declared Abazovic.

PM Abazovic believes that his party, URA, has played a significant role in solidifying Montenegro’s pro-Western and pro-European trajectory towards progress. When asked if he sees himself as the engine of the next pro-Western, pro-European government after the parliamentary election, Abazovic replied, “We have cemented it.”

He went on to explain, “Regardless of whether URA participates in the next government, we are that engine – we are the locomotive that pulled the country out of the canal.”

According to the Prime Minister, the country is now poised to move forward. “Everyone can now drive the country forward,” he said. Abazovic likened the country’s progress to a “Macadam road” that had been built, with all the tough decisions already made.

“After the second round of the Presidential election, Montenegro will enter the paved road where even not that good of a driver will be able to serve the people,” PM Dritan Abazovic concluded.

Read the full interview HERE

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