Civil society organizations and civic activists once again call on the State Prosecutor’s Office and the Police Directorate to finally inform the public about the status of the investigation into the violent disruption of the screening of the film “Roda”, which was interrupted solely because it was in the Albanian language.
More than a month has passed since 3 September, when a group of hooligans in Podgorica stormed the screening of “Roda”, a film by director Isa Qosja, during the Džada Film Fest (DžFF) and forcibly prevented it from being shown. So far, the police have not made any official statement about the steps taken to identify and prosecute those responsible.
The Police Directorate is not the only institution that has remained silent. The Capital City of Podgorica, as one of the festival’s patrons, has also failed to comment, along with the Ministry of Tourism, another festival sponsor. It bears repeating that Albanian is one of the official languages recognized by the Constitution of Montenegro, a fact that should have compelled the authorities to treat this case with the utmost seriousness.
Combating hate speech is a crucial element of Chapter 23 (Judiciary and Fundamental Rights) in Montenegro’s EU accession negotiations, yet the Ministry of Justice has likewise remained silent on this matter.
More than a month of institutional silence in response to an overt act of hatred based on nationality and language raises serious concerns about the integrity and accountability of the institutions responsible.
We also remind the public that the ruling political parties bear responsibility for a series of nationalist provocations that preceded this incident. When institutions send a message that hatred can be tolerated and go unpunished, it becomes inevitable that such incidents will continue and become part of everyday life.
Just last weekend, a minor from Bosnia and Herzegovina was physically assaulted and injured in Podgorica by a group of local minors, who reportedly insulted him because of his origin.
We call on the competent authorities to take immediate action regarding the interrupted screening of “Roda” and to promptly inform the public about the measures undertaken. We also urge the Mayor of Podgorica, Saša Mujović, to unequivocally condemn nationalist incidents occurring in the capital of a country that aspires to become the next member of the European Union.
Human Rights Action (HRA) – Tea Gorjanc Prelević
Association SPEKTRA – Jovan Ulićević
Centre for Civic Education (CCE) – Daliborka Uljarević