March 17, 2019 - The organisers of the protest "Odupri Se- 97,000" have said at the fifth meeting, held Saturday, 16 March in Podgorica, that they will not give up on the demonstration until all state institutions are released. They announced a new gathering at the Independence Square for March 23, inviting people to bring at least one person to the next protest that wasn't present this time. One of the members of the organising committee, Dzemal Perovic, called for the liberation of Montenegro and the unification "against those who privatised our country".
Reflecting on the negative campaign on the decision of the organising committee to give up the previously announced permanent protests to meet the prominent demands of the leaders of the institutions of the system, Perovic said: "The jabs for the mistakes of the organising committee, what is the purpose - we are people, we are making mistakes. But tonight we are unmistakably aware of what we want. What you sow, you're sorry tonight. We came for our freedom!"
"Our face is our flag," Perovic said, responding to the recent objection of the President of Montenegro, Milo Djukanovic, that at the meetings in Podgorica there are no Montenegrin flags. Perovic asked Djukanovic where he carried the state flag, while "stealing state resources and staying in Dubai and San Tropez".
"While you make foreign currency cash and sign up for offshore firms - where is your state flag? While you are transferring the circus from a state strike to the apostles - where are your constitutions, laws, and justice? You will never pass on the intimidation and resentment of citizens to each other, using the natural differences between us - national, religious or party. We have come here for true justice," Perovic said.
To regime media and reporters, Perovic said they are looking for the protestors' mistakes in vain.
"Looking for mistakes and weaknesses of the Organizing Committee, we and hundreds of thousands of others who will join us are unmistakably aware of what we want and how we will achieve it," he said.
The fifth set "Odupri Se - 97,000" overcame the previous gathering, which speculated with numbers of about 20,000 people. According to the organiser's assessment, yesterday's protest in the Capital City was the most massive gathering of citizens in the recent Montenegrin history.
Before the protest walks, the organisers reminded of over 60 companies that had once conducted the Montenegrin economy, and who did not survive the "goblins" transition. "Health, education, culture, dignified life, solidarity and freedom have been eased," said actor Slavisa Grubisa.
Professor Goran Ivo Marinovic said that Montenegro would already be a part of European Union if not having DPS.
"DPS is the cause of all of our problems and the main topic of all the chapters in the negotiations," Marinovic said and called on the ruling politicians to leave the armchairs.
He also said that there would not be "a sick system based on fear and stifling freedom of thought" in Montenegro, when the state created the conditions for free and fair elections and when a democratic change was first made.
Marinovic does not live in Montenegro, and his career as a professor at the faculty, he says, "runs around the world, from South Korea to Mexico." "But I'm always happy to return home," he said in front of thousands of citizens, adding that there are no such people anywhere in the world, nor such natural beauty as in Montenegro.
"The existing regime made a living to survive, and nature, our greatest asset, to a means of personal gain," Marinovic said.
He also said that the government fears the outcome of the protest "Odupri Se - 97,000," because they are "no longer able to manipulate citizens".
The fifth gathering of the civil movement "Odupri Se", Photo by Boris Pejovic, Vijesti
Addressing thousands of citizens, Professor of History Petar Glendza said that Podgorica has never been more beautiful than last night. "There is not one place in this world I would rather be, but right here and with you." He said that he wanted changes and that he would resist a system that "humiliates, degrades, restricts and all this plunder".
"I do not want to deal with onion planting, but with my profession! And from the job, I do professionally and conscientiously to have a dignified life! I no longer want my fair earned money to be scattered for a variety of malversations, electricity and fuel bills with unreasonable taxes, to “envelopes”, and all the wrong and misguided moves of those who make the most important decisions in the country without any responsibility. I want the opposite - you and me investing our money in our future "Glendza said. He added that he wanted a system that would guarantee citizens "security, creativity and comfort, not fear, inefficiency and bravery".
"I want a state that is service to its citizens. And we are those citizens. We are a state, and what we live today is just a simulation, and that's why we are looking for root changes, "said the professor of history from Cetinje. Glendza also sent a message to the opposition, stating that they have to change themselves, the way of action and the choice of priorities.
Student Teodora Pavićević said that no one could take this "little bit of freedom" to citizens.
"They took us all they could, the state, the future, but this little bit of freedom cannot take us, never. They will not frighten us; they will not divide us, they will not silence us because we are together tonight, all of us here for freedom, for social justice, not for their injustice, "she said. ”Is it fair to attack youth and protect a mafia? That excellent students, graduate economists, lawyers, masters work as waiters and taxi drivers? Do the workers work 12 hours a day unpaid, to make wealth for those stealing us? Is it fair that young people leave the country because they do not have a party booklet? "Pavićević asked.
Thousands of citizens went for a protest walk through the Freedom Street, Boulevard of Ivan Crnojevic, Stanko Dragojević Street, Boulevard of St. Petar Cetinjski and completed a gathering at the central city square.
The Doll "Luko Krivic" in front of Satet Prosecutors' Office, Photo by BIRN
The demonstrators passed the building of the Government, the Presidency, and the Assembly. In front of the premises of the Prosecutor's Office set up a doll with an onion instead of the head, alluding to the statement of the Special State Prosecutor (SDT) Milivoje Katnic that "the protest organisers undermine the people and better make themselves to plant onions". "Luko Kaznić" (Guilty Onion) doll, dressed in the suit of the Prosecutor, was the second performance inspired by this statement. The doll name is the allusion to the fact that the current Chief State Prosecutor, Milivoje Katnić, was engaged in the military operations of the Montenegrin Army in Konavle, Croatia, the region known for agricultural production. The Student Initiative earlier stifled the symbolic onion planting in front of the State Prosecutor's Office building.
As in previous gatherings, this time there were no national and party flags, and protestors carried transparencies "One Works, Four Votes," "Shame on You," "Street of Freedom is One Directional" chanting "Milo Thief", "We are a state, " We're a flag, " Students are here, "and occasionally the Independence Square and marching streets illuminated the torches.
Although the organisers, before the protest, called on citizens not to argue for possible provocation and concern for security, there was an incident during the protest walk that ended without any consequences for the health of people and property.
From the Police Administration, they reported that more protestors, during the protest walks, insulted police officers and shot them with stones and other hard objects. The Police states that some demonstrators shot in the direction of state institutions to hurt police officers and test them for reaction. They explain that no police officer has been injured.
Strong police forces were deployed at the Government, Presidency, Parliament and Prosecutor's Office buildings, while police were behind the Presidential building with protest demolition equipment.
"The Security Service in the Organization of the Movement" 97,000 – Odupri Se "prevented one person throwing stones to the Assembly building," the organisers said on this occasion. As they cite, a video of that event was made, which will deliver to the police.
"We welcome the efforts that the police officers are investing in finding and adequately punishing every violent behaviour and extermination, to ensure the security of all participants and every subsequent public gathering," the 97,000 – Odupri Se movement said.
The new gathering at the Independence Square in Podgorica is scheduled for next Saturday, 23 March at 6 pm. The fifth meeting ended with a call to each of those present to bring with them at least one person who did not attend the protests so far, to further enlarge the movement.
Copyright: Vijesti Online
