SEE Security Monitor
SEE Security Monitor
Text of report by Montenegrin Mina news agency
Podgorica, 21 February: Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic's proposal that Montenegro and Serbia should form a union of independent states based on the Benelux countries' model is unacceptable for the G17 Plus Party, the party said in a statement today.
Podgorica has previously proposed to Belgrade that relations between the two states be formed through a union of independent states. Djukanovic specified, at a gathering of the Democratic Party of Socialists and the Civic Alliance [of Serbia] on Saturday [19 February] in Belgrade, that this was based on the Benelux model.
"The state union was formed in its entirety in accordance with the wishes and needs, not of Montenegro, but of Djukanovic's party [Democratic Party of Socialists] and the Social Democratic Party [of Montenegro]. What is being offered now is in line with his interests and wishes," G17 Plus senior official Cedomir Antic told the MINA agency.
He assessed that in the case of a union [of independent states] being formed, Montenegrin independence would only be formal, all payments would still be made by Belgrade, while Serbia would not have real autonomy from Montenegro.
Antic considers it woeful that Djukanovic participated in the Civic Alliance gathering, a party whose deputies in part voted for direct elections for the state union assembly and "which does not decide anything".
"Seven years ago it did not occur to him to come to the Democratic Party assembly which was resisting the Slobodan Milosevic regime. This party succeeded, only two years after Djukanovic refused to come to its assembly, to topple Milosevic's regime," he recalled.
Antic said it was very interesting that Djukanovic was now talking of a union of independent states, while in 2002 he never talked of independence.
"I believe this is all a game. Serbia should not become part of internal Montenegrin political battles, as it is solely a matter for Montenegro. For Serbia both the 1992 federation and what we have now are acceptable," he said.
He pointed out that if Montenegro wants too, it can unite with Serbia and become a part of it, if not "then it can go", adding that the common purpose of the two countries could be realized at EU level.
"In the EU there is not a single regime like Djukanovic's. When one day Montenegro or, I don't know perhaps, a larger Serbia enters the EU, Djukanovic will no longer be on the political scene," Antic concluded.
Source: BBC Monitoring / Mina news agency, Podgorica