Big Army Manoeuvres in Montenegro

What is the Army of Yugoslavia Up To?

Will June be the month of this year's surprise for the citizens of Montenegro? Not because of the elections, but because of the activities of the Army of Yugoslavia

AIM Podgorica, 19 May, 2000

In the course of the month of June, members of the Army of Yugoslavia (VJ) will have a military drill with a tactical hypothesis – prevention of secession of Montenegro! This tactical hypothesis was elaborated and set by the command of the Second Army stationed in Podgorica.

The planned manoeuvres “with the topic: a motorised brigade in defence and anti-landing combat”, as explained by a high officer in the command of the Second Army for Monitor weekly, consist of three phases. In the first which will take place between June 1 and 8, commanding officers will be drilled. In the second phase to take place between June 12 and 14, units of the 5th motorised brigade, parts of 326th artillery brigade, 56th engineer regiment, 83rd anti-aircraft defence brigade, 72nd border batallion, parts of air-force brigade from Golubovci airfield, 7th, 4th and 2nd batallion of military police, as well as parts of Pester combat group, will be deployed on Pester plateau and take positions. And the final phase of the drill will according to plan take place from June 14 to 19.

It is assessed in Podgorica that such a military drill could serve as a preparation of VJ for introduction of state of emergency on the territory of Montenegro. Indirectly such expectations were confirmed by president of Montenegro, Milo Djukanovic, during his recent visit to Brussels. Djukanovic in fact said that he saw no reason for introduction of state of emergency in Montenegro, and that it would not happen. But he also reminded that, in case of a possible attempt of Belgrade to introduce state of emergency anyway, he would take the same stand as during NATO attacks against FRY. And this would mean that the citizens, with the passive resistance of the state, would be completely at the mercy of military authorities.

The planned manoeuvres, as it seems now, should take place as a routine matter. They will take place at a preset time with the December and March class of soldiers, as “a drill of the experienced and the less experienced soldiers who have just completed the elementary training”. “It is customary over here to do it this way although from the standpoint of modern warfare it is nowadays debatable”, a military expert says.

Army leadership, however, still has not informed the public about it although the law prescribes that it must do it at least a month before the beginning of the drill, “for reason of security of the population on the territory where the drill takes place, and provision of communication infrastructure”. However, as far as we were able to find out, the Ministry of internal affairs still has not received any official information about it.

Silence which surrounds this army plan is all the more indicative because it anticipates that the drill will take place at the time of local elections in Podgorica and Herceg Novi which is estimated by many as a decisive measuring out of political forces in Montenegro. Can it be concluded that VJ wishes to make a strong impression on the voters? That such intentions are highly probable is in a way confirmed by everyday roaring of airplane engines over Montenegrin cities. Citizens of Tivat have recently complained to daily press against the noise created by such demonstration of force.

The law, of course, does not impose any limitations concerning a military drill taking place at the time of the elections. But, as a military expert says, “it would be logical if the army did not carry out any such activities as drills at the time of elections, because, after all, why would VJ exert pressure on the citizens with whom, as it says in its numerous public statements, it has quite good relations?

A military expert we talked with about the possible causes and objectives of these big manoeuvres, says that activities and location of the planned drill show that its objectives are no routine.

The war in Kosovo has shown clearly to the Army of Yugoslavia where real – internal and external danger – comes from. There has been neither concentration of KLA forces on the border with Kosovo nor concentration of NATO forces in Montenegro. On several occasions Montenegrin press has already written about reasons why something of the kind is not even attempted. Rough ground, Montenegrin narrow passes and mountain peaks which separate Montenegro from its surroundings obviously limit the manoeuvring capabilities and shock force of every aggressor.

That is why the planned June drill leaves suspicion among even the least reasonable connoisseur of warfare. “Military logic dictates that a drill of this type take place on Pester watershed, near Presevo, somewhere along Morava-Vardar destination? The war in Kosovo has shown that this main geostrategic direction is decisive for defence of FRY, so – in accord with the announcements of the approaching return of the army to Kosovo – the drill of the army in this region would have a logical justification”, claims Monitor's interlocutor from the command of the Second Army.

Why does not the Army act accordingly? Why has priority been given to the territory of Montenegro in the organisation of this military drill? It is impossible to get an answer to this question from an official representative of VJ. It seems that it is possible to discern an answer to it only in a torrent of statements that the command of VJ showered the public and the authorities in Montenegro with in the past few weeks.

In one of the latest statements the possibility was announced that VJ “redirects its aiming devices” towards members of Montenegrin police. The immediate cause for this threat was found by the military leadership in the recently published article in The Independent from London about a sniper, member of Montenegrin police, who allegedly took aim at an officer of the Army of Yugoslavia. The story of the British newspaper was a few days later denied by one of the commanders of Montenegrin police. But it seems in vain. Although the Army took note of the denial of the chief of Montenegrin police, it assessed it as too irresolute and mild and demanded a more energetic one. On the contrary, it is said in the statement, “what it leads to – it is quite clear”!

This is the first time that the army is publicly threatening the police and the regime in Montenegro. And this is being done at the same time when – also for the first time – it is officially taking sides with political ranks of Slobodan Milosevic under the pretext that it is defending its commander and the constitutional system.

The mentioned statement is just a small part of an avalanche which is rolling towards Montenegro lately. First the general staff of the Army publicly warned everyone in Yugoslavia who did not think well of Slobodan Milosevic. Then general Pavkovic, head of general staff, lamented to Nedeljni telegraf that in Montenegro “there is destructive activity against the federal state and the Army of Yugoslavia, and that the “Army, as the only federal institution, is exposed to such activity the most”. Oil was added to the fire by commander of the Second Army, general Obradovic. “The Army will do everything to prevent, in accordance with its duties and responsibilities, a possible attempt of unconstitutional secession of Montenegro”, Obradovic stressed.

That is the reason for doubt that the planned Army drill is in fact the beginning of “redirecting of aiming devices” of VJ towards Montenegro. “Isn't the role of this statement to be an alibi for the expressed serious threats that additional measures would be taken to raise the combat preparedness of the Army”, minister of police Vukasin Maras wonders.

The main problem Montenegrin regime is faced with is that it depends least of all on its will whether the command of VJ will decide to take the risk in the course of the month of June and exceed the limits of a routine drill of its recruits.

Goran VUJOVIC

(AIM)