Dritan Abazovic, president of the URA movement in Montenegro that secured four seats in the August 30th elections, will play a key role in forming the new government.
In an interview for “Balkan Talks”, with journalist Franko Egro, he expresses his willingness to sacrifice himself for the sake of a tangible change in the country, although there is no lack of proposals to elect him prime minister.
“I think we need a government of experts, where politicians work in Parliament. The Prime Minister’s role? There is a possibility, but I think that in this government it is better to have people outside politics,” he said.
“Djukanovic has built a private state in these 30 years and everything has been given to oligarchs close to his family. They underestimated us by telling us we cannot win, since we didn’t have funds and logistics. But I have always believed in it, and now we have come to this historic moment. “It is the first time that in Montenegro, power changes democratically,” he said.
Abazovic completely rules out the possibility of co-operation with President Djukanovic’s party, as he has always fought against him and has no intention to violate these principles. The head of the URA says that his political force is oriented towards the West and will not change its position on Kosovo’s independence.
“The West has also given a lot of support to Gaddafi, Mubarak and Milosevic. The West supports you if you work in their direction. Our course, we are totally pro-European and pro-Western. There will be no changes in foreign policy, on our attitude towards NATO or Kosovo’s independence,” he said.
According to Abazovic, time has come for other countries of the region to change the political elites, as the only way to bring positive developments.
Abazovic does not spare criticism of ethnic Albanian parties in Montenegro, underlying that they served Djukanonic’s government at a time when the latter ruled against Albanian interests. Despite this, he appeals for the two Albanian MPs to be included in the government.
“The two Albanian MPs must be integrated in the new government. So far they have not worked for the good of their people, but have only supported Djukanovic. In the 2003 census, Albanians were 7%, in 2011, 4.9%. If this policy continued, there would be no more Albanians in Montenegro within 20 years.
“For the creation of the Municipality of Tuz in 2015, Djukanovic’s party voted against, and we, as the opposition voted in favor. The municipality of Ulcinj is the only poor coastal municipality in the country. Why aren’t Albanian properties returned to their owners? What policy are we talking about in favor of Albanians?” He said.
The head of the URA does not agree with the position held by official Tirana before the elections, stating that PM Edi Rama harmed the interests of Albanians.
“Podgorica is only 200 km away from Tirana but we cannot get an understanding. Is it okay for Edi Rama to support Djukanovic? Do you think it is normal to support someone who has discriminated against us? I interpreted it as a huge blow to the Albanian parties. I do not have a good opinion for most of the leaders in the Balkans, and that goes for Rama as well. People need to come together and bring new values,” Abazovic said.
When asked whether it was true what he said about Albania’s national hero, Skanderbeg, and his origin, Abazovic says that his surname changed during the communist period, and that he originated from a village in Kruja, called Abazaj, and there is no way he did not know the origin of George Kastrioti.
