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Djukanovic says W. Balkans battleground between pro-European, retrograde forces

Author: Hari Alfeo

ZAGREB, Feb 17 (Hina) - The problem Montenegro has after the adoption of the freedom of confession law is not solely Montenegrin but should be viewed in the context of the fight between pro- and anti-European forces in the Western Balkans, President Milo Djukanovic said on Monday.

He was speaking after a working dinner organised in Brussels on Sunday by European Council President Charles Michel for leaders of the EU and six Western Balkan countries (Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia).

Djukanovic told Montenegrin journalists that "a harsh political duel is still being fought in the region between policies which advocate a European future for each of our six societies in the Western Balkans and a policy which wants to conserve the existing state of affairs and keep the Balkans off the European track."

Those are remnants of a legacy that is deeply anti-European, which should be dealt with in the spirit of good European democratic practice, the Montenegrin president said.

Since the beginning of the year, after the passage of a law regulating ownership of religious communities' properties, marches with up to tens of thousands of protesters have been held in Montenegro twice a week, organised by the Serbian Orthodox Church. The protests are supported by the pro-Serbian opposition and Serbia.

Djukanovic said Montenegro was capable of handling those internal problems as well as those in relations with other states in the spirit of European practice and the EU acquis.

Still, one must not underestimate that deep in every Western Balkan society there are layers of a retrograde consciousness due to decades of lagging behind, he said.

That can be seen in Montenegro where, contrary to attempts to develop a civic state and a multi-ethnic society which would be part of the Euro-Atlantic community, there is a proposal to retract to "the status of a national, specifically Serbian state, the status of a state which would be governed by the Serbian Orthodox Church on the model of a medieval state," Djukanovic said.

Speaking of EU enlargement, he said the EU must show a vital interest in receiving new member state and not just pay lip service.

Sunday's meeting in Brussels was attended by Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic as premier of the country presiding over the EU.

Raising the topic of enlargement to Southeast European countries to the highest level in the EU and changing the atmosphere about it, will be a big, positive political legacy of the Croatian presidency of the Council of the EU, he said afterwards.

The meeting was held as part of preparations for a summit of leaders of all EU member states leaders and Western Balkan countries in Zagreb on May 6-7 at which the European Commission wants to present a strong investment package for Southeast Europe, he added.

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