On the eve of the International Day of Democracy, marked on 15 September, the Centre for Civic Education (CCE) highlights the growing gap between Montenegro’s formal progress in the EU integration process and the actual state of development and implementation of democratic standards.
Unfortunately, we witness daily poor indicators in the field of fundamental human rights, freedoms, and democratic practices. One of the latest examples is the interruption of the Džada Film Fest, which exposed a climate where nationalist and chauvinistic incidents are occurring more frequently and in previously unseen places. Particularly concerning is the reflection of this trend among younger generations, even though tolerance should be the cornerstone of coexistence in a multiethnic society.
At the same time, the space for critically oriented individuals and civil society organizations is narrowing. Political attacks, targeting and threats, as well as the advocacy for a Law on Foreign Agents, borrowed from authoritarian regimes, seriously threaten freedom of expression and critical thought. Many were shocked by the latest wave of insults and threats made by the president of the DNP, Milan Knežević, against civic activist Aleksandar Dragićević, simply because he publicly expressed an opinion on an environmental issue.
Democracy is a complex but the most humane system. Its strength lies in the equality of every vote, but that strength becomes a weakness when the system fails to invest in the education and emancipation of its citizens, leaving society vulnerable to manipulation. That is why continuous political education is essential, both for citizens and for those who directly make decisions and shape all our lives. In this context, the CCE has been working for over 20 years on the democratization and Europeanization of Montenegrin society through non-formal education, work with youth, institutions, and decision-makers. And that work never ends, because democracy is constantly being learned.
We mark this Democracy Day at a time when the world and its leaders are increasingly deviating from the values they publicly promote. Ukraine and Gaza provide examples of the brutal violation of human rights, especially those of children in Gaza. While the main democratic centers are weakening, conservative and right-wing forces are growing stronger in both Europe and America, and authoritarian regimes are solidifying their positions.
Nevertheless, what gives hope is the growing willingness of citizens to defend their rights. In Montenegro, more and more people are refusing to accept violations of their rights and are resisting in various ways. Student protests in Serbia and civic mobilizations across the EU further confirm that the right to protest, assemble, and associate remains democracy’s strongest weapon. The undemocratic nature of governments is also revealed through attempts to limit the right to public assembly.
Democracy in Montenegro can only be sustainable if institutions consistently protect the rights of all citizens, and if political structures take responsibility for building a society in which trust, equality, and freedom are a given. At the same time, the true measure of its development lies in the strength of the citizenry to persist in their demands for justice and freedom, while it is the task of institutions and politicians not to silence that voice, but to translate it into public policies that change society for the better.
Nikola Mirković, Programme Associate