Montenegrin PM Krivokapic: I will not resign

Photo: Tanjug/AP

Montenegrin Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic said last night that he would not resign from office and called on the deputies in the Assembly to initiate his dismissal.

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Krivokapic told reporters in the hall of the Assembly of Montenegro, after he left a session at which his initiative for the removal from office of Minister of Justice, Human and Minority Rights Vladimir Leposavic was discussed because of his views about Srebrenica.

He added that the path is clear: "You can ask for a vote of confidence in the government or you can go to new elections," RTCG reports.

Krivokapic assessed that the time may have come for Montenegro to choose, as he said, the best path.

"The only path that can lead Montenegro to a more certain future is what the victims are doing, and those are members of the government, of which I, due to circumstances, am the leader," said Krivokapic.

Speaking about the initiative to sack Leposavic, he said that he proposed "what is completely natural" and that is to ask for a vote of confidence in one minister and that he followed the procedure according to the Constitution.

He also criticized the solutions in the Constitution, because, as he said, he thinks that there are different ways of solving that problem in other constitutions.

When asked why he did not wait for the Assembly to appoint the director of the National Security Agency (ANB), Krivokapic said that he did it because that is another obstruction.

Photo: Tanjug/AP/Risto Bozovic

"We sent a request to the Assembly in a timely manner to submit its opinion," stated Krivokapic.

He added that the director of the ANB is a man of all citizens and that the fact that he suggested him for the position is another question.

"He should work in the interest of all of us, not me as the prime minister, not any party," Krivokapic said.

Asked why the government agreed to appoint some ambassadors without the consent of President Milo Djukanovic, Krivokapic said that they did everything they could do.

He stated that they held consultations twice, that this was approach that was not required, and stressed that they wanted to show good will.

"To discuss those candidates who, in our opinion, are future career diplomats," Krivokapic said.

Milan Knezevic, an MP and one of the leaders of the ruling Democratic Front, told Krivokapic during the parliamentary debate that whatever the outcome of the vote on the sacking of Minister Vladimir Leposavic, he will no longer be the prime minister.

"If you replace Leposavic with the help of the DPS, you are not the prime minister, and if you do not, you are no longer the prime minister," Knezevic said.

(Telegraf/Tanjug)