Igman Initiative: Denying Former Montenegrin Official’s Entry into Serbia Result of Authorities’ Arrogance

Aleksandar Popov (BETAPHOTO/DRAGAN GOJIC/MO)

The holding of the former Montenegrin deputy prime minister, Jovana Marovic, at the Nikola Tesla Airport and banning her from entering Serbia is an indication of the authorities’ arrogance towards their own and citizens of other  countries and their different opinions, the co-president of the Igman Initiative, Aleksandar Popov, assessed in an interview to BETA on Aug. 24.

“What should we do with those Serbian Progressive Party officials who went to Montenegro and openly interfered with the election process, for instance in Niksic, but have not been sent back at the border? This is a black stain, a disgrace for our authorities for allowing such an embarrassment,” Popov pointed out.

He welcomed the statement of Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic, who said that the ban was against the advancement of good neighborly relations and that Jovana Marovic was not a security threat. „I believe that to be a proper way to defend the rights of one's citizens to their own opinion and a condemnation of an extremely unacceptable act of a neighboring country,“ Popov added.

He said that the event was the best proof of „cynicism of the authorities“ regarding the Open Balkan, because that initiative must envisage open borders. „The entire matter has been brought to absurd – we are promoting the Open Balkan initiative, but ban those who think in this way or another from entering the country,“ Popov concluded.