{"id":79778,"date":"2025-07-09T15:31:32","date_gmt":"2025-07-09T13:31:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/euronews.al\/en\/?p=79778"},"modified":"2025-07-09T16:00:19","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T14:00:19","slug":"clashes-in-montenegro-after-prestigious-award-given-to-national-identity-denier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/euronews.al\/en\/clashes-in-montenegro-after-prestigious-award-given-to-national-identity-denier\/","title":{"rendered":"Clashes in Montenegro After Prestigious Award Given to National Identity Denier"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Citizens and police clashed on July 8 in Podgorica during a protest against the awarding of the \u201c13 July\u201d prize to writer Beqir Vukovi\u0107, who denies the existence of a Montenegrin nation and supports the Chetnik movement.<\/p>\n

Montenegrin police used chemical agents and physically blocked demonstrators from entering the Gorica state villa, where the award ceremony was being held. The protest lasted nearly three hours.<\/p>\n

Director Danilo Marunovi\u0107, who led the protest, addressed the crowd, saying:
\u201cTonight, our police treated us brutally, like the worst criminals. This cannot end here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Police stated that during the unauthorized gathering organized by the informal group \u201cSTEGA\u201d, officers were attacked and one was injured. Authorities said they will identify and prosecute those responsible for the violence.<\/p>\n

Several hundred citizens attempted to break the police cordon and reach the villa. Protesters threw eggs and stones after officers used pepper spray twice. The crowd chanted \u201cFascists,\u201d \u201cTreason,\u201d \u201cMandi\u0107, fascist,\u201d and sang the Montenegrin national anthem.<\/p>\n

Journalists from Radio Free Europe reported that several protesters experienced breathing difficulties due to the pepper spray, including Aleksandar Radoman, dean of the Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature, who was hospitalized.<\/p>\n

The \u201c13 July\u201d prize is awarded in honor of Montenegro\u2019s Statehood Day, commemorating the anti-fascist uprising of July 13, 1941, and is meant to recognize works that reflect Montenegrin values.<\/p>\n

For the protesters, awarding this symbol of anti-fascism to Vukovi\u0107 was unacceptable, as he has glorified Chetnik leader Dra\u017ea Mihailovi\u0107, who collaborated with fascist forces in WWII, calling him the \u201cleader of the third Serbian uprising.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vukovi\u0107 has also supported the pro-Russian Democratic Front led by Andrija Mandi\u0107, calling it \u201cthe only truth in Montenegro\u2019s turbulent political sky.\u201d He has denied the existence of a Montenegrin nation, claiming it was invented by Komintern, the Moscow-based Communist International founded in 1919.<\/p>\n

In addition to Vukovi\u0107, graphic artist Velo Stani\u0161i\u0107 also received the award. The prizes were presented by Andrija Mandi\u0107, Speaker of the Montenegrin Parliament, who stated:
\u201cYour actions, dedication, and success symbolize what \u201813 July\u2019 should represent in the 21st century.\u201d<\/p>\n

A third laureate, world-renowned classical guitarist Milo\u0161 Karadagli\u0107, refused to accept the award.<\/p>\n

Accusations of Police Brutality<\/h3>\n

The opposition Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) condemned the police response, calling it a low point for Montenegrin law enforcement.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis dark period will pass, but it will be remembered who served Andrija Mandi\u0107 and his masters in Belgrade, and who stood to defend a civic, modern Montenegro,\u201d DPS stated.<\/p>\n

The Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature sent a letter to the EU, U.S., and UK ambassadors in Montenegro, expressing deep concern over the \u201cexcessive use of force\u201d during the protest. The letter noted that the faculty\u2019s dean was among those injured.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Citizens and police clashed on July 8 in Podgorica during a protest against the awarding of the \u201c13 July\u201d prize to writer Beqir Vukovi\u0107, who denies the existence of a Montenegrin nation and supports the Chetnik movement. Montenegrin police used chemical agents and physically blocked demonstrators from entering the Gorica state villa, where the award […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":79779,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1803],"tags":[243,151],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nClashes in Montenegro After Prestigious Award Given to National Identity Denier - Euronews Albania<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/euronews.al\/en\/clashes-in-montenegro-after-prestigious-award-given-to-national-identity-denier\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Clashes in Montenegro After Prestigious Award Given to National Identity Denier - Euronews Albania\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Citizens and police clashed on July 8 in Podgorica during a protest against the awarding of the \u201c13 July\u201d prize to writer Beqir Vukovi\u0107, who denies the existence of a Montenegrin nation and supports the Chetnik movement. 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