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English: Flag of the Principality of Montenegro (1878-1910) Español: Bandera del Principado de Montenegro (1878-1910) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Your country is listed as a mafia ran state. Former US Ambassador in documents that leaked calls you the most corrupted nation in Balkans and states there is no political will to fight it.
What are we going to do? Can we live in a country where there is one law for you, some other law for them and no law at all for some? Are Pakistan and Afghanistan the countries we are looking up to?
I am one of those who believed at the time that state independence was more important than reforms of institutions. I am one of those who gave money and volunteered work over more than a decade for Montenegro to become independent.
Anyone who said something against – we considered our enemy. Probably they were. I am more than happy we are in power to make our own decisions. I never considered us to be a marginal culture , it’s idiocy to think we are some kind of second rate (or first rate per that matter) citizens of some other people, we are an autochthonous nation.
It doesn’t matter what you call the language you speak, all the languages in the region are similar anyway. It doesn’t matter to which church you go to pray, God is one.
It doesn’t matter if you are right or wrong. Don’t silence your neighbor, make sure he has the right to speak up – no matter what.
Don’t be intimidated by bullies, they can’t break us if we unite. We must fight for our right to disagree. We will express our disagreements in referendums and elections – and the majority will win. The majority might be wrong, but that’s democracy. We can not patronize an entire nation, believing it does not have awareness it takes to make decisions (and thus turn the blind eye to manipulation.)
I was disheartened lately, i had lost hope. Albeit i am a public personality, i never supported openly this or that party and never went against anyone personally – i supported ideas and fought against chaos. It’s time to call a spade – spade.
Christian, Muslim, Jews – we are all Montenegrins. No one has a spare nation. To me my religion is that – a religion, not a second nation i keep in my pocket and will take out when the time is due. Both sides of my family fought wars and spilled blood for this land – and i am not going anywhere.
I came back when almost everyone ran away. I was thought to think in terms of my people first. I am not giving up now.
I am very sad to witness system after system, doctrine after doctrine falling apart – i attended funerals of three countries, but i am not burying Montenegro – if she dies, i am going down with her because my life will prove unworthy of living.
Our country is ill. I hope it is not fatal. The open wounds are infected and they are bleeding. Do not pretend you don’t see it. We must clean the wounds and work on that which was spoiled.
Don’t forget that there isn’t a single family which was in power in Montenegro for longer than a single generation. Things will change. Tomorrow you will be the underdog. You will want then to have strong institution that you can rely on. Start building them now.
Start from yourself. Do not resort to connections, do not take over your unprivileged brethren. Do not pay for things you are never supposed to pay. Report corruption. Don’t let our leaders get away with empty speeches. It’s time to act.
If you are a writer – do not publish your books without a contract; demand a contract, and royalties too. Claim the copyright. Do not let them fool you there is no money in it – of course there is, otherwise why would they bother?
Don’t let us being ripped of in the name of Montenegro. WE ARE MONTENEGRO, we are this country. If they are oppressing us – they are working against the country, not in its interest.
Don’t work for free , do not volunteer your time and effort for fake causes. For every minute you volunteered, someone has cashed in money. On each and every Don Quixotism of yours, some crook has earned good standing with the government. And money and privileges that go with it too.
Do not comply. Do not agree to the farce so you will be awarded. Don’t put up with things to get an award. If you are a lousy writer or can’t really paint, if you suck as a diplomat – live with it, your vocation is elsewhere. Do not let the corruption rule so you can be in a position which you did not deserve. History will laugh at you. Future generations will bring your name down to dirt – and they will be in their right to do so.
Do not close your eyes to the can full of warms. If your doctor asks bribe – report them. If you are paying for your kid to attend a state funded school – think twice is that the right thing to do. You will realize it is not. You are feeding the dark side, it will never turn out right, it can not.
If you got job through connections – think twice. It is not the way to go. I saw an institution i worked for over a decade fall apart. I am witnessing another one i was involved with going down. Think five years in advance. There are no shortcuts. You can’t have the corrupted leading the blind and unconscious, because all of us will fall off the cliff.
We are an insular nation, who for centuries lived isolated, high up in the mountains.
We have our ways – and there is a lot of good in those. But, do not let them disguise corruption as Montenegrin tradition, it is not. We are a poor nation, albeit with a great history. There was never such social and economic division between us. They are not a different class. They were not born into money. Ask your grandfather, everyone was poor like a church mouse after the WWII.
Don’t let them get away with this, or live with the choices you made – and know that the future generations will curse you. It is not worth it. With a nation whose memory extends centuries back – Montenegrins never forget – it is not worth it.
There is a forest behind these trees, there is a future for Montenegro. Better future, less corrupted. Do not give up, do not comply.
Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP): http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18237811
Mafia States: http://carnegieendowment.org/2012/04/25/mafia-states/artl
Wikileaks on Montenegro: http://www.flarenetwork.org/learn/project_echo/croatia/article/montenegrin_govt_was_involved_in_organized_crime.htm
EU update on Dr. Moses Naim report http://www.neurope.eu/article/europe-hosts-mafia-states
BBC refuses to aplogize to Montenegro for calling it Mafia State
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