Milan Knezevic Calls Ratko Mladic a Hero at Vucic Rally
Montenegrin DNP leader Milan Knezevic addressed a Vucic campaign rally in Belgrade for the first time, urged Serbs from Montenegro to vote for the list, and again called Ratko Mladic a hero.
Milan Knezevic, president of Montenegro’s Democratic People’s Party (DNP), spoke on Saturday evening, September 26, as an official speaker at a rally for the ruling “Aleksandar Vucic, United Serbia” list, held in Belgrade’s Stari Grad municipality. It was his first time addressing the rally in that capacity. He called on all citizens of Montenegrin origin who have the right to vote in Serbia to back the list in the October 25 parliamentary election, and repeated his earlier claim that General Ratko Mladic is a hero. Knezevic himself does not have the right to vote in Serbia.
According to Euronews Serbia and Tanjug, the rally was organized by the “Aleksandar Vucic, United Serbia” list itself. The Montenegrin outlet Borba.me, however, reports that the event was organized by the Serbian Progressive Party.
Call to Voters from Montenegro
Knezevic said the list led by Aleksandar Vucic is the only one safeguarding Serbia’s national interests, and that he had come to Belgrade to deliver a message of unity from Montenegro.
“Every honest Serb from Montenegro and every honest Montenegrin from Montenegro who has the right to vote in Serbia will vote for the ‘Aleksandar Vucic, United Serbia’ list,” Knezevic said at the rally in Stari Grad, Euronews Serbia reports.
He also called for the unity of the Serbian people regardless of state borders.
“We must not divide Serbs into those from Serbia, Montenegro or Republika Srpska,” Knezevic said at the Belgrade rally, Alo reports.
He devoted part of his speech to criticizing Ilija Srdanovic, the lead candidate of the Student List, and Dusan Petrovic, claiming that Srdanovic’s political platform rests on attacks against Aleksandar Vucic’s family rather than on any concrete program.
Why Is He Defending Mladic Again?
Knezevic repeated his position that Ratko Mladic, who was finally convicted by the Hague tribunal and sentenced to life in prison for genocide in Srebrenica, crimes against humanity and war crimes, is a hero.
“General Ratko Mladic is a hero and a man who preserved and saved people from disappearing,” Knezevic said at the Stari Grad rally, Euronews Serbia reports.
He added that three criminal complaints have been filed against him so far over his statements about Mladic. He opened his address on a personal note, recalling that his mother, a biology teacher, was arrested on January 13, 2020, which he said was for organizing litija processions.
“My mother will sooner defeat Kim Jong Un than Vucic will lose in Serbia,” Knezevic said at the Belgrade rally, Alo reports.
That same evening he also addressed Montenegro’s August 30, 2020 election and the 2006 independence referendum, which he claimed had been stolen.
“Without Aleksandar Vucic, the litija processions, the Serbian Orthodox Church and the citizens who voted, we would never have defeated Milo Djukanovic,” Knezevic said at the Stari Grad rally, Borba.me reports.
He also spoke specifically about Kosovo and Metohija.
“We will never forget Kosovo and Metohija, we will never abandon it, and we will never give up our right to Kosovo and Metohija,” Knezevic said at the Stari Grad rally, Borba.me reports.
He closed his address with a message of support for Vucic through the end of the campaign.
“No surrender, no retreat, not a step back… So: forward to victory, forward to glory, forward to victory!” Knezevic said at the Stari Grad rally, Euronews Serbia reports.
We previously reported on the DNP in connection with a Podgorica assembly session on removing Mandic, a session the party did not take part in. Serbia’s parliamentary election is scheduled for October 25.
