Together against injustice on April 18

An express response with an open letter, a request to the Ministry of Culture and the Media to publish a recording of the Committee's session, a request for a public meeting with the Prime Minister are novelties in the actions of the Union of Culture, because many times until now we have invited gentlemen from the Union of Culture to an open, public conversation - the Association announced actors in response to the open letter of the Union of Culture to Prime Minister Dritan Abazović.
In each invitation, as announced by the Association, they clearly emphasized their willingness to cooperate, with the goal of mutual satisfaction.
We never received an answer other than the insidious, inaccurate and extremely manipulative public statement that threats were sent to them by cultural figures, as well as that their lives were threatened - the UGCG announced.
They invited the public to join them in the protest they announced for Tuesday, April 18, in front of the Government building.
For years, we have been trying to make you enjoy our concerts, exhibitions and performances in the wonderland of Montenegro, to be a link between art and society. We believe that there is no need to point out that there is no healthy society without culture, and a healthy society is precisely you, who are interested in supporting what is linked exclusively to that without which life is unimaginable - the Association announced.
In the Syndicate of Culture, as they said, their remarks were not taken into account.
Mrs. Zorica Stijepović, the president of the Culture Union, as well as a member of the Council JU Center for Conservation and Archeology, in direct communication with the Ministry of Culture, did not respect the decision of the Ministry of Finance to distribute the coefficients provided for all cultural workers, with a bad argumentation regarding the leveling of the coefficients, equalization of the coefficients and you had to have reduced magnification - they stated from the UGCG.
As they point out, a clear question of knowledge, morals, ethics, as well as the ambition of endangering the creators, was raised.
We also wonder if it is at least questionable and with some reason to turn a deaf ear to the views of two ministries through the implementation of autocratic, non-collegial and extremely malicious principles. We believe that there is no need to talk about the importance of artists in society...but we could say a lot about the country without them. Nothing nice - it was stated in the announcement.
The president of the new Free Trade Union of Culture Vukan Pejović also addressed the professional sector of artistic jobs, who wondered why this group of jobs did not protest years ago.
16 years ago, I was 11, which means that I was thinking about how to pass excellent, be in the first line-up of the pioneers of FK Lovćen and go with sympathy to watch the first play in my life at KP Zetski Dom - "Tom Sojer and the devil at work". Today I am 27 and I think the real question is not where were we all these 16 years, but where were you? Why didn't you unite like we did today and rebel against the Culture Syndicate headed by Blagota Eraković, who, as you say, inflicted injustice on you for almost two decades - he said.
He also asked why they did not ask for the support of their colleagues.
As we today ask for it from you and all others who, in contrast to you, generously give it to us? What did you do? You waited patiently for 16 years to become the Union of Culture, bring your Blagota Eraković and fight so that the injustice that was inflicted on you is equally inflicted on your colleagues? Will it really satisfy you? Does it maybe remind you of the book Moby Dick? Isn't it smarter to replace that idea with a more constructive and stronger idea of uniting with all colleagues, forming a common-sense mass that will fight for the separation of more than 0.8% of the budget in culture, a fairer and better GKU, changing laws in culture that are poorly written and a dignified life for all workers in culture - said Pejović.
As he added, he believes that changes are possible.
You can say that it is difficult to do, that I am young, inexperienced, that it is all just an ideal-utopia, and you will be completely right, but I know one thing. I'm not the only one. If we all had courage - we would live that ideal life. Many people believe in that idea and are working to make it come true. Do you want to come with us? - announced Pejović.
M. J.