Below is the full statement of protest by civil sector representatives and women civic activists regarding the attack by Democratic Party MP Zdenka Popović on HRA Executive Director Tea Gorjanc Prelević:

We express our strongest protest against the attack by MP Zdenka Popović of Democratic Montenegro on human rights defender Tea Gorjanc Prelević, a woman who has, for years, consistently and indiscriminately fought for the rule of law. In doing so, Popović – Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Montenegro, member of the Women’s Leadership Network, and Co-President of the Women’s Club of the Parliament – demonstrates unquestioning loyalty to her party leaders and the leadership of the security sector, instead of affirming gender equality and democratic dialogue.

From someone who claims to have “worked for years on empowering women to take leadership roles — in politics, the economy, and society” and who “supports every initiative that opens space for women’s equal participation,” we would expect, at the very least, a call on her party colleagues to restrain themselves, if not a condemnation of their aggressive discrediting of an activist subjected to orchestrated public attacks solely because of her civic engagement. We wouldalso expect her to criticize the notorious tactic of dragging the business of Tea Gorjanc Prelević’s husband into the debate — a silencing strategy, rather that insisting on reasoned responses to legitimate questions and criticism, which should be the minimum standard of a democratic culture of dialogue.

Instead, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament publicly told Tea Gorjanc Prelević that she was “transparently and pathetically pretending to be a victim, allegedly attacked by someone.” At the very moment when she had the chance to show integrity and genuinely stand behind the principles she publicly advocates, Popović chose instead to align herself with party rhetoric, using the same inflammatory and degrading language to send the unmistakable message to a victim of attacks: “I don’t believe you.” This is the oldest weapon of patriarchal violence — one that MP Popović clearly is not ready to relinquish.

When women who have reached the highest positions, thanks in part to the efforts of human rights defenders who fought for legal quotas to ensure greater political participation of womenm use their authority to attack those same defenders, they send the message that women’s solidarity and the struggle for gender equality are principles of “lesser importance,” expendable commodities to be traded for daily politics and party loyalty. Such actions erode women’s trust in politics and public life and discourage them from influencing social change. Women in senior positions have not only the opportunity but also the additional responsibility to use their power to build integrity, mutual respect, and trust – not to discipline and belittle those who fight for all of us.

Despite this and similar disappointing practices, we will continue to advocate for greater participation of women in politics, firmly convinced that future generations of female politicians will be true creators of narratives and public policies that reflect the needs of all citizens, not blind followers of their male colleagues, even when they pursue wrong policies and attack civil society without arguments, driven by narrow party interests.

We condemn all hate speech against women, including when directed at those with different views, and expect the Committee on Gender Equality and the Women’s Club to abandon the harmful practice of selectively defending only those women who are in power.

1. Maja Raičević, Executive Director, Women’s Rights Center
   2. Ana Jaredić, Women’s Rights Center
   3. Zorica Konatar, Women’s Rights Center
   4.Teodora Balšić, Women’s Rights Center
   5.Teodora Ciriviri, Women’s Rights Center
   6.Tanja Markuš, Women’s Rights Center
   7. Anita Stjepčević, Women’s Rights Center
   8. Daliborka Uljarević, Executive Director, Center for Civic Education
   9. Sara Čabarkapa, Center for Civic Education
   10.Ervina Dabižinović, Coordinator, ANIMA – Center for Women’s and Peace Education
   11. Ljupka Kovačević, ANIMA – Center for Women’s and Peace Education
   12. Milena Popović Samardžić, Executive Director, Ipso Facto
   13. Marijana Camović Veličković, Vice-President, Trade Union of Media of Montenegro
   14. Marina Vujačić, Executive Director, Association of Youth with Disabilities of Montenegro
   15. Milka Tadić Mijović, Executive Director, Center for Investigative Journalism of Montenegro
   16. Zenepa Lika, Executive Director, Dr. Martin Schneider-Jacoby Association
   17. Nikoleta Đukanović, Executive Director, Sociological Center of Montenegro – SOCEN
   18. Mila Radulović, President, Association of Professional Journalists of Montenegro
   19. Aida Perović, Executive Director, Prima
   20.Olivera Nikolić, Executive Director, Media Institute of Montenegro
   21. Ivana Vujović, Executive Director, Juventas
   22. Jelena Čolaković, Juventas
   23. Marija Jovanović, Activist, Association Spektra
   24. Danijela Nikić, Association Spektra
   25. Aleksandra Kraljević, Association Spektra
   26. Milva Milić, Association Spektra
   27. Iskra Đurišić, Association Spektra
   28. Nevenka Vuksanović, Executive Director, Center for Democracy and Human Rights
   29. Sabina Talović, Executive Director, Bona fide
   30. Slavica Striković, Board Member, Women’s Action
   31. Mira Saveljić, Director, Safe Women’s House
   32. Ana Dedivanović, Executive Director, Association of LBTQ Women “Stana”
   33. Staša Bistrica, Executive Director, Montenegrin LGBTIQ Association Queer Montenegro
   34. Marija Backović, Executive Director, Empty Space
   35. Fana Delija, Executive Director, Center for Roma Initiatives
   36. Kristina Mihailović, Executive Director, Parents Association
   37. Zorana Marković, Executive Director, Center for Development of NGOs
   38. Azra Vuković, Executive Director, Green Home
   39. Jovana Janjušević, Executive Director, Center for Protection and Research of Birds
   40. Nataša Nelević, Executive Director, Profemina
   41. Velida Hodžić, Executive Director, Ikre Rožaje
   42. Bojana Jokić, Executive Director, LGBT Forum Progres
   43. Nataša Međedović, Executive Director, SOS Hotline for Women and Children Victims of Violence – Nikšić
   44. Sonja Dragović, KANA/Who If Not the Architect
   45. Aleksandra Kapetanović, EXPEDITIO
   46.Tatjana Rajić, EXPEDITIO
   47. Biljana Maslovarić, Director, Pedagogical Center of Montenegro
   48. Aida Petrović, Executive Director, Montenegrin Women’s Lobby
   49. Aleksandra Radoman Kovačević, Executive Director, Center for Training and Education
   50. Lidija Guberinić, Executive Director, Municipal Association for Multiple Sclerosis Bijelo Polje
   51. Martina Markolović, Human Rights Action
   52. Bojana Malović, Human Rights Action
   53. Amra Bajrović, Human Rights Action
   54. Elizabeta Mrnjačević, Human Rights Action
   55. Ivana Živaljević, Human Rights Action
   56. Dina Bajramspahić, Civic Activist
   57. Jovana Marović, Civic Activist
   58. Paula Petričević, Activist
   59. Ivana Čogurić Rašović, Activist
   60. Nađa Durković, Literature Professor
   61. Olivera Lakić, Journalist
   62. Milena Bešić, Civic Activist
   63. Vesna Rajković Nenadić, Journalist
   64. Maja Boričić, Journalist
   65. Tamara Milaš, Civic Activist
   66. Maša Elezović, Women’s Rights Activist
   67. Varja Đukić, Actress
   68. Milica Kankaraš Berber, Activist
   69. Željka Zvicer, Journalist
   70. Tamara Milić, Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature
   71. Marina Đurović, Civic Activist
   72. Mersida Ličina, Association “Štrpci – Against Oblivion”