A group of NGOs and civil activists are deeply concerned about the development of events in Podgorica and beyond in the last ten days and express the strongest condemnation of any form of violence, discrimination and spreading hatred, regardless of the national, ethnic or religious affiliation of the victims or perpetrators.

As they stated, the incidents that happened from October 25, 2025, but also those from before – including physical attacks, inciting national and religious intolerance, demolishing business premises owned by Turkish citizens, and burning cars – represent not only a violation of the law, but also, they point out, a direct attack on basic human rights, dignity and social peace in our country.

“We condemn all criminal acts committed in this series of incidents, without any exception or relativization,” they added.

As they note, what should be the norm and not the desired goal in a country striving for EU membership – that no one should be beyond the reach of the law.

“These incidents are not just individual misdemeanors, but crimes motivated by hatred on a national basis, which turned into the persecution of Turkish citizens, which makes them particularly dangerous and requires stricter application of the Criminal Code of Montenegro, which provides for tougher penalties for acts committed for reasons of national, racial or religious intolerance,” they said.

They especially point out that the demolition of business premises and the destruction of property of Turkish citizens are classic examples of hate crimes, which, they add, not only violate the right to property and security, but also encourage the collective stigmatization of the entire nation.

“These incidents are not isolated – they are accompanied by hate speech on social networks and in public space, including the chanting of slogans calling for the murder of Turkish citizens, which is a direct incitement of national and religious hatred and must be treated as a criminal offense,” the statement reads.

As they stated, they are particularly concerned about the organized protest of citizens in Podgorica, which was secured by the police, and which resulted in a very threatening atmosphere in neighborhoods with a large number of Turkish residents.

Footage and reports show that a large number of masked men roamed the streets, creating a sense of danger and fear among Turkish citizens.

“This is not just a spontaneous gathering – it is an organized act that, with police protection, sent a message of intolerance and encouraged further incidents,” they point out.

They demand immediate and equal prosecution of all participants in these incidents.

“The State Prosecutor’s Office and the police must act without delay: identify, arrest and prosecute all perpetrators of violence. Equally, all those who incited hatred – whether through social networks, public gatherings or the media – must be prosecuted in accordance with the Criminal Code for inciting national, racial and religious hatred, which is punishable by imprisonment from six months to ten years, and that all those who committed other crimes motivated by hatred, such as the destruction of other people’s property, they should be punished more strictly in accordance with Article 42a of the Criminal Code of Montenegro. We emphasize that any delay or selectivity in the full application of the law will only deepen divisions and encourage new cycles of violence”, they stated.

According to them, as fighters for human rights, they remind that Montenegro is not a country of hatred and violence – it is a member of international agreements on the protection of human rights, including the European Convention on Human Rights, and must act in accordance with those obligations.

“Collective guilt does not exist: individuals are responsible for their actions, not entire nations. Spreading hatred towards Turkish citizens – who legally work, live and contribute to our economy – is not the answer to individual incidents, but the path to chaos and isolation of our country. We call on everyone – citizens, politicians, media and institutions to refrain from hate speech and to promote dialogue and tolerance. Only through the rule of law, equality before the law and protection of minorities can we preserve Montenegro as a multi-ethnic and inclusive Montenegro. society”, they concluded.

The announcement is signed by:

1. Danijel Kalezić, ERA – Alliance for Equal Rights
2. Milica Kovačević, CDT – Center for Democratic Transition
3. Tea Gorjanc Prelevic, Human Rights Action
4. Daliborka Uljarević, Center for Civic Education
5. Jovan Joli Ulićević, Association Spectra
6. Zlatko Vujović, Center for Monitoring and Research – CeMI
7. Staša Baštrica, Queer Montenegro
8. Ivana Vojvodic, Juventas
9. Biljana Zeković, SOS telephone for women and children victims of violence – Podgorica
10. Ervina Dabidžinović, ANIMA
11. Milka Tadic Mijovic, CIN-CG
12. Aida Perović, NGO Prima
13. Vanja Tsicmil, Zero Waste MNE
14. Marica Stijepović, NGO Myrtle
15. Ranko Dacić, Montenegrin Harm Reduction Network, Link
16. Ana Dedivanović, Association of LBTQ women “Stana”
17. Maja Raičević, Center for Women’s Rights
18. Aida Petrović, Montenegrin Women’s Lobby
19. Marina Vujacic, Association of Disabled Youth
20. Olivera Nikolić, Media Institute of Montenegro
21. Budislavka Mira Saveljić, Safe Women’s House
22. Dr. Milena Popović Samardžić, NGO Ipso facto
23. Kristina Mihailović, Parents Association
24. Zorana Marković, CRNVO
25. Zenepa Lika, MSJA
26. Velija Murić, Montenegrin Committee of Lawyers for the Protection of Human Rights
27. Nevenka Vuksanović, CEDEM
28. Darko Ivanovic – NGO 35mm
29. Aleksandra Radoman, Center for Training and Education
30. Adnan Čirgić, Montenegrin PEN Center
31. Aleksandar Radoman, Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature
32. Sabina Talović, Bona Fide Pljevlja
33. Lidija Guberinić, Bijelo Polje Municipal Multiple Sclerosis Association
34. Philip Kuzman, The Anti-Fascists Cetinje
35. Almedina Dodić, Eduko Plus
36. Maja Bogojević, Agora Femina
37. Dina Bajramspahić, civic activist
38. Jovana Marović, civil activist
39. Dr. Tea Dakić, Psychiatrist and human rights activist
40. Srđan Vukčević, economist and business consultant
41. Paula Petričević, civil activist
42. Goran Đurović, civil activist
43. Tamara Milash, civil activist
44. Dragana Tripković, playwright
45. Balša Dragojević, activist
46. ​​Tijana Dragojević, activist
47. Jelena Čolaković, activist
48. Aleksandra Vujacic, activist
49. Marija Radović, activist
50. Mary Mijović, an activist
51. Marija Ružić Stajović, activist
52. Andrijana Radulović, activist
53. Stefan Đukanović, activist
54. Jovan Bojović, activist
55. Marija Jovanović, activist
56. Milva Milić, activist
57. Marko Vukčević, activist
58. Iskra Đurišić, activist
59. Daniela Nikić, activist
60. Aleksandra Kraljević, activist
61. Aleksa Radonjić, activist
62. Itana Kovačević, psychologist
63. Marko Dragićević, activist
64. Ana Jaredić, activist
65. Jelena Nenezić, actress
66. Jelena Martinović, journalist and writer
67. Maida Burdzović, PhD, psychiatrist
68. Dr. Slaven Jovanović, specialist in psychiatry
69. Dr. Zlata Kovačević, internist-endocrinologist
70. Ivana Stanić, painter
71. Adriana Gvozdenovic, artist
72. Julija Milačić Petrović Njegoš, actress
73. Dr. Sci Tijana Todorovic, visual artist
74. Radoje Cerovic, psychologist and business consultant
75. Dr. Boris Ćorić, psychiatrist
76. Dr. Ljiljana Radulović, neurologist
77. Kristina Gvozdenović, PhD in political science
78. Elvis Berisha, civil activist
79. Dr. Sandra Vujović, neurologist
80. Vesna Rajković Nenadić, journalist
81. Mila Radulović, journalist
82. Sanja Jovanović, cinematographer producer
83. Tanja Šuković, journalist
84. Ana Milović Jasikovac, youth worker
85. Martina Markolović, activist
86. Elizabeta Mrnjačević, activist
87. Tanja Pavićević, journalist
88. Amra Bajrović, activist
89. Bojana Malović, activist
90. Dr. Boban Batrićević, university professor and civil activist
91. Milena Bešić, as a civil activist
92. Sanja Orlandić, philologist
93. Jelena Nikolić, graduate mathematician
94. Emir Pilav, MA – political scientist and civil activist
95. Nikoleta Đukanović, civil activist
96. Veselin Radulović, lawyer
97. Anđela Milović, journalist
98. Boyan Switzerland, a citizen activist
99. Miloš Vukanović, historian
100. Olivera Komar, political scientist
101. Marija Perović, director
102. Violeta Senić, civil activist
103. Žarko Begović, civil activist
104. Jasna Tatar Anđelić, professor at UCG
105. Žarko Božović, citizen activist
106. Mila Lekić Pejović, civil activist

Source: CdM