Writes: Dusko JOVANOVIC, a representative in the Parliament of the Republic of Montenegro

The Government of Montenegro made the Resolution on the working obligation on the same day when the Montenegrin Parliament accepted another Resolution for which all Parliamentary parties voted.
The Resolution in the shortest meant that the state offices should professionally do their jobs according to the Statute and Law.
The government’s Resolutions on the working obligation presented dishonesty of the coalition “For a better living” in the Montenegrin Parliament, because they had to know and they knew that in the time when the Resolution was being prepared, and they actively participated in it preparing the normative acts which were in opposite, in fact they represented violating of the same Resolution.
The Resolution on the working obligation was made with just one purpose: to slow the mobilization of the military units, and in that way to weaken the defense of the Second Army and Navy.
The Yugoslav Army’s duty was to do their job according to the Statute and Law which ment that in a case of direct war danger and the war itself it should make the urgent mobilization according to the orders of the Supreme Command. In that honorable and legitimate way the biggest obstacle to the Yugoslav Army were shameful movements of the incumbent Montenegrin government, and one of the most shameful was certainly making and processing the Resolution on the working obligation.
Urgently, the thousands of the arrangements on the implementing of the work obligation were printed. There were the threats of losing jobs if the workers didn’t come to work immediately. The appeals were sent even to those workers which were known that they had already gone to the Yugoslav Army.
The work obligation was implemented at the offices and catering, trade and tourism. Many private undertakers followed the government’s steps and they also included the work obligation.
The calls were sent even to workers whose firms didn’t work and who didn’t work for so many years, and of course, without payment. The Montenegrin regime wanted to provoke the dilemma at a part of citizens connected with the priority of the obligation if it was military or work although, the Law on defense did not make any dilemma about it.
In the cases of the direct war danger and war the defense of the country and response to the Yugoslav Army represent the absolute priority.
However, with the great anti-army campaign in the media which has lasted till today, those activities made confusion and dilemmas at the citizens. Under the pressure in the first line from SNP and all the patriotic public the Montenegrin regime was forced to soften its attitude about the Work obligation, which was published with delay and sadly by Filip Vujanovic.
However, probably agreed with each other the Prime Minister claimed one thing and his ministers claimed the opposite.
The Minister of Justice in his letter to the presidents of the municipalities, number 07-1369-2 from the 9th April 1999. about fifteen days after bringing the regulations, gave the rule of conduct, where among the rest was said: “The government reminds that no one of the employees in the units of the local government cannot be freed of the Work obligation, and also it points out that every officer and worker in the public institutions which establisher is a municipality, WHO WANTS to respond the military call should be allowed to do so without any legal sequences which can be the result of the breaking rule about the Work obligation”.
In the regulations about the Work obligation which were delivered to workers personally, was written that they would lose their jobs if they didn’t proceed according to the Resolution however, it is known that according to the Law it was impossible; fifteen days later the minister tried to soften the Government’s shame.
Who is he to claim and recommend to the presidents of municipalities to allow those WHO WANTS to respond the military obligation?
As patriotism is not strong side to the Minister of Justice, he should be reminded by the Law. In the Law, as it concerns to the defense of the country, there is neither wish nor want. It is all about precisely defined obligations and procedures, if someone do not respond the military call.
The presidents of the municipalities were said that no one can be freed from the Work obligation, although they should know that everybody was freed from the Work obligation as soon as they received the military call.
In the instructions for the presidents of the municipalities it was also said:
“The employees WHO WANTS to fulfill the Work obligation, and who are sent the military call, will be protected by the authorities of the Republic of Montenegro”.
There was no explanation which authorities could protect those who broke the Law, those who didn’t respond the military call. They probably thought on the Ministry of Interior Affairs where such persons were welcomed as reserve members, and they were issued the certifications with the retroactive dates of their engagements as they could be freed from the legal procedures. At the end the minister asked to be informed if the military organs would make any pressure or compulsory taking off, as he could take right steps.
There stays the dilemma and the question what measures did he think of, and the explanation by the author would be desirable.
Unfortunately for the Montenegrin government, despite its obvious destructive activities, the mobilization of the army has been successfully fulfilled, the military units have been completed and the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of the FRY have been saved. The military help to the aggressor by the official Montenegro through the obstruction this honorable patriotic and legal obligation has failed.

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