The Montenegrin Parliament approves the resolution on Jasenovcin, Croatia reacts harshly

The Montenegrin parliament passed at midnight on Friday, with the votes of 41 members of the parliamentary majority, a resolution on the Jasenovac genocide initiated by pro-Serb and pro-Russian parties. This resolution, according to analysts in Montenegro, could affect relations with neighboring Croatia, which previously warned with a note of Podgorica protests about the possible consequences of this resolution. In parliament, numbering in 81 seats, 42 deputies attended, of whom only one was against the approved resolution.

The debate over the resolution on the genocide in Jasenovac was included in the agenda of the session on the proposal of the Speaker of Parliament Andrija Mandic, who is a representative of pro-Serbian and pro-Russian parties in Montenegro.

He said the proposed resolution backed by the parliamentary majority meant that “the resolution would take a broader form and be called the resolution on the Jasenovac genocide, Dachau and Mauthausen ” camp system.

“ People from Montenegro, our compatriots, citizens of the former Yugoslav Kingdom, where Montenegro was located, have lost their lives in the Jasenovac camp system, Dachau, Mauthausen during World War II. In this way, we want to send a message of respect to our ancestors who died there ”, Mandic said.

The proposal for the resolution on Jasenovac took place after the government of Milojko Spajic supported last month the UN resolution on the commemoration of the Srebrenica genocide, which pro-Serb and pro-Russian parties opposed.

Due to the adoption of the resolution on Jasenovcin, which is located in the territory of Croatia, the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately reacted by assessing the action of the neighboring country as an instrument of victims for political purposes.

Croatia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Europe expressed its regret that “ Montenegro decided to ignore calls not to politicize the victims of Jasenovac and not to take steps that could negatively affect bilateral relations and the European path of Montenegro".

The statement said that good neighborly relations are one of the key elements of the enlargement process and one of the main criteria for assessing progress in Montenegro's membership process.

“Republic of Croatia expected that, after receiving the IBAR, Montenegro would refrain from any activity that could lead to the breakdown or deterioration of good neighborly relations and would focus its efforts on meeting the conditions and standards in the membership process, some of which are particularly important for the Republic of Croatia ”.

The Croatian Ministry says Montenegro needs to make progress in the fight against war crimes, resolving missing persons' cases and compensating victims, and in line with the EU's common position on Chapter 23.

“Republic of Croatia expects Montenegro to prioritize resolving the issue of determining responsibility for crimes committed by Montenegrin citizens during aggression against the Republic of Croatia in 1990 ”, emphasizes Croatian ministry.

The resolution on Jasenovcin was also harshly criticized by the Montenegrin opposition, stressing that it harms Montenegro's national interests, where, among other things, it could stop the path of integration into the European Union.

"The Black Mountain will continue to rush embraced in nationalism and chauvinism and making Belgrade favors from those who are either blackmailed or paid," the opposition representatives said.

They estimate that the resolution is a hoax, due to the fact that no one disputes the genocide in Jasenovac.

"For the sake of staying in office or for the sake of joining the government, you are ready to step on the victims. This does not lead to reconciliation, but new divisions, "the Montenegrin opposition said.

Jasenovac is commemorated as a concentration camp established during World War II on Croatian territory. In Jasenovac, tens of thousands of people were killed and raped, most of them Serbs, Roma and Jews./ VOA