OPPOSITION PROTEST AGAINST KOSOVO RECOGNITION SPARKS CLASHES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PODGORICA 000261

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/SCE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL MW
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION PROTEST AGAINST KOSOVO RECOGNITION SPARKS CLASHES
IN PODGORICA

REF: PODGORICA 58

PODGORICA 00000261 001.2 OF 002



1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On October 9, in possibly its biggest foreign
policy decision since independence, the GoM announced
Montenegro's recognition of Kosovo. Opposition parties united
to oppose the decision in a letter to the GoM presented late on
October 10. On October 13, about 10,000 people assembled in
Podgorica for a large protest rally organized by four pro-Serb
parties. Protestors demanded that the GoM cancel its decision on
Kosovo's recognition by October 15 at 11:00 a.m. and invited the
parliament to call a referendum on the same issue. The rally
turned violent, with 30 people suffering minor injuries after
police and protestors clashed. Police have banned another rally
previously scheduled for October 16. END SUMMARY.



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Djukanovic: Nobody pressured Montenegro

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2. (SBU) Responding to numerous allegations that the GoM
recognized Kosovo because of international pressure, especially
by the U.S., PM Milo Djukanovic reiterated that the GoM decision
was motivated solely by its own national interests, particularly
its growing partnership with the European Union and NATO. He
did acknowledge that Montenegro's partners have certain
expectations. In a similar vein, President Filip Vujanovic
stated that Montenegro recognized Kosovo to avoid jeopardizing
its strategic objective of Euro-Atlantic integration.



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Opposition: GoM Decision "Shameful" and "Treason"

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3. (SBU) The Serbian List (SL),Socialist People's Party (SNP),
People's Party (NS),and Democratic Serbian Party (DSS) cried
foul and immediately organized a protest rally in Podgorica for
October 13. Serb leaders Andrija Mandic, Srdjan Milic, and
Predrag Popovic described the GoM's decision as shameful and
dishonorable. Milic told followers that the rally would protest
the "shameful decision" to recognize the "fake state Kosovo
against the will of a large majority of Montenegrin citizens."
Popovic claimed that more than 80 percent of citizens oppose the
decision. Milic, standing by his word to us on October 10
(septel) that the SNP insist on keeping the rally peaceful,
called for a protest by "peaceful and democratic expression of
responsible people who will prove they are honorable." The Main
Board of the small Democratic Serbian Party (DSS) condemned the
GoM for their "act of high treason" calling Kosovo a "terrorist
creation on the territory of the south Serbian province."



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Podgorica Rally Ends with Violence

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4. (U) In the run up to the October 13 rally in Podgorica, small
demonstrations took place throughout the weekend, primarily in
Podgorica, Niksic, Pljevlja, Bijelo Polje, and Bar. Increased
police presence was visible throughout the weekend, with an
impressive show of force in Podgorica on October 13, focused on
the protection of government and diplomatic facilities.




5. (SBU) According to local press and unofficial police
estimates, roughly 10,000 people gathered in Podgorica for the
opposition rally. SNP's Vasilije Lalosevic opened the protest
by reading a list of demands to be sent to the government,
notably that the government annul its recognition of Kosovo by
Wednesday, October 15, at 11am and that parliament
simultaneously announce a nationwide referendum on the issue.
If the GoM fails to comply, Lalosevic asserted, the President
would be obliged to announce extraordinary elections by the end

PODGORICA 00000261 002.2 OF 002


of 2008. SL's Andrija Mandic called on the protestors to be
brave and persistent in contesting the decision of the
government. Opposition Movement for Change (PzP) leader Nebojsa
Medojevic attended the rally, along with other party officials,
but none addressed the crowd.




6. (SBU) The Serbian Orthodox played a central role in the
demonstration. Metropolitan Amfilohije was both an organizer
and a prominent speaker at the rally. He claimed that the GoM's
decision did not respect the will of the majority of the
Montenegrin people, and called the decision "treason." Just as
he was concluding his almost hour-long speech, demonstrators
broke through the police barricade outside the parliament
building. Police reacted with tear gas to disperse the crowd and
protesters responded by hurling stones, fire crackers and flares
at the police. A large contingent of police officers, along
with a special police squad, moved in to seal off the parliament
building, the nearby Presidency, and the neighboring streets.




7. (SBU) Amfilohije and the organizers appealed to the crowd to
disperse in peace, but without success. Protesters chanted
"Treason, Treason" and "Kosovo is Serbia" as well as slogans
against Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, accusing him of
"betraying Kosovo." In the melee, some protesters broke through
the police cordon in front of the parliament, throwing stones
through windows.




8. (SBU) Most of those hospitalized suffered minor injuries
caused by stones or police batons. Police reportedly detained 28
demonstrators. As the crowd dispersed, several groups of
hooligans continued running through the streets, breaking
windows and setting fire to garbage cans, but the damage was
minimal. The Ministry of Interior later announced that
additional demonstrations would be banned in view of the violent
behavior at the October 13 rally. Opposition plans for another
rally on October 16 have been cancelled.




9. (SBU) The ruling DPS condemned the violence and destruction
of property in the streets of downtown Podgorica. The DPS
statement professed disappointment with hooligan attacks on
government facilities. SNP's Lalosevic also condemned the
violence, stating that the rally organizers had no connection
with those who carried it out and that the majority of people
who came to the rally were intended to protest peacefully.



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Comment

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10. (SBU) Most local analysts do not believe the opposition will
succeed in reversing the GoM's decision on Kosovo or initiating
a referendum on the question. Many likewise believe that that
the protests will be short-lived, with the opposition now
chastened by the burst of violence. Nevertheless, it is too
soon to say definitively whether the October 13 rally will mark
the end of the opposition's effort to build momentum against
recognition and the ruling coalition generally. We note that,
in spite of earlier indications to the contrary, Serbian
Ambassador to Montenegro Zoran Lutovac has remained at his post
in Podgorica. End Comment.
MOORE