21 March 2019 - Civic protests do not pose a threat to the state and its political system, according to Prime Minister Duško Marković, who assessed that the Government of Montenegro is persistent in the protection of the state and its citizens.
Prime Minister explained that the demands for the resignation of the representatives of the Government were not grounded because, as he says, the Government has support in the parliament in which it was elected.
At the assembly during which the reporters were allowed to ask the PM questions regarding the current conditions within the country and plans of the Government, Marković announced that the state is becoming more and more stable.
"Montenegrin institutions are capable and ready to protect the constitutional and legal order of our country at any time and in any circumstances, ”Marković estimated. This conclusion of the PM was based on the fact that Montenegro is a state with established institutions; the country is a NATO member, a politically stable country based on democratic and European values.
"Therefore, despite the challenges that accompany us, we are achieving to protect the state, protect the citizens and their interests, and the attempts of destabilization have made our security apparatus more compact, and the state more stable," Marković emphasised.
The Prime Minister also pointed out that the European and Euro-Atlantic future, as well as the independence of Montenegro, cannot be endangered in any way: "I want to believe that even protesters do not want to endanger the independence of our country. I want to believe that they do not want to demolish Montenegro, but build the country towards a better future. Still, we will not allow the creation of an overthrowing atmosphere, because that is an ambience that can lead to unwanted consequences, "the PM stated during the assembly.
He added that protests are a democratic and legitimate way of expressing opinions and that the representatives of the Government fully understand their need to emphasize their demands, especially when they are motivated by the desire to improve the standards and quality of life of citizens.
However, as PM explained, the citizens of Montenegro must all agree that the Government is working on improvements daily, which is confirmed by notable results that are visible and measurable.
He pointed out that the economy grew at a rate of almost 5 per cent in the previous two years, that new jobs were created reducing the unemployment by 12,000 people concerning 2016, that development momentum in infrastructure is achieved, as well as the balanced regional development.
He said that the results gave him the right to say that there is no place for protests against the work of the Government: "We provided free tuition for students, 1,500 new places for children in kindergartens, reconstruction and construction of over 150 facilities in the education and health sector, and created new jobs in these sectors".
