February 23, 2019 - The public protest in Montenegro, known as "97,000-Odupri Se" (97,000-Resist), after gathering around 10,000 citizens last Saturday, continues today, 23 February with another protest walk in Podgorica, scheduled for 6 pm to start from the Independence Square.
The protest campaign started on 2 February by the performance of 97 citizens - 97 "1000 EUR" Envelopes, attended by around a thousand people who joined the walk along the Street of Liberty and the proclamation before the Supreme State Prosecutor's Office. The protest started after the recent “Envelope” affair, which confirmed the ruling DPS illegally financed elections in 2016. But, as emphasized, this is just one of the numerous cases shaking Montenegro in the last three decades not being prosecuted by responsible state institutions.
Second gathering overcame all expectations and confirmed that a lot of Montenegrin citizens believe our political system does not function due to robbed institutions and high corruption present on all levels. The citizens ask for the resignation of the Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic, Prime Minister Dusko Markovic, Supreme State Prosecutor Ivica Stankovic, and Special State Prosecutor Milivoje Katnic and promise to deliver new demands at today's gathering in Podgorica.
On this occasion, the organizers are calling the Independence Square "the Square of Free Citizens," from where the protest walk will pass by the facilities of the leading state institutions to the RTCG and back.
One of the members of the initial committee of the civic movement “97,000- Odupri Se”, Milos Krivokapic, said in the program "Nacisto" on Vijesti Television that the new demands of citizens, to be announced at the third protest, agreed in intensive communication with citizens, from which support comes from all parts of Montenegro.
The citizens call for today's protest informed that they planned a circular route for the protest walk, which will start with the "Independent Citizen's Square" by the Freedom Street to the Sveti Petar Cetinjski Boulevard.
"From the Boulevard we will turn to the Clinical Center and stop in front of the building of the RTCG where additional requests from the citizens, about which we are in permanent communication, will find a common consensus. We will return to the Boulevard of Revolution to the Sports Center, then via Sveti Petar Cetinjski Boulevard back to the “Independent Citizen's Square. On this route, we will visit many institutions that we did not address directly last week," the organizers said. They claim that the entire political system in Montenegro is corrupted to the point that society needs fundamental changes, which should be led by the citizens.
The protest "97,000-Odupri Se" includes an increasing number of citizens of Montenegro, and many organizations have supported the movement, including the Academic Community of Montenegro, Organization of Persons with Disabilities, numerous NGOs and citizen's initiatives.
Opposition political parties provide logistical support in the form of transport organization from other cities, as well as parallel protests, but hold the organize's suggestions that they are not interested in any party interests and will not allow instrumentalization of protests in this regard.
"Like last week, our gathering has passed peacefully, and with dignity, so we expect to pass through every one of the following. We appeal to citizens to join us without any party, national or other features. We are especially pleased that this week the citizens of the Organization of Persons with Disabilities showed confidence, and our service will pay special attention to their security," the organizers of protests emphasized.
They are inviting citizens to assist the security service and react to the provocation of any kind by contacting the nearest officer and to not allow "any violent incident to jeopardize our legal right to defend the Constitution of Montenegro in the only free institution that has remained to us - the streets."
