NGO wants Montenegrin PM Abazovic to get history textbook withdrawn from schools in Serbia

Dritan Abazovic; Photo: Nikola Andjic

Non-governmental organization Gradjanska Inicijativa (GI) 21 Maj has asked Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro Dritan Abazovic and Ranko Krivokapic to send a diplomatic note to the Government of Serbia and request the withdrawal of a history textbook for fourth grade high school students.

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"The textbook speaks about Montenegro, its internal policies and the position of the Serb people in it in an inappropriate and unfounded manner," says the NGO.

The Ministry of Education of Serbia approved this textbook for use in schools starting with the 2021/22 school year, the authors are Dr. Dusko Lopandic, Dr. Ratimir Milikic and Manja Milinovic, and the publisher is Novi Logos from Belgrade.

The NGO considers it justified for the state of Montenegro to request the withdrawal of this textbook until the disputed content is changed, which they believe speaks about Montenegro, its history and statehood, the restoration of its independence, the position of the Serb people out of context in terms of historical and legal facts and outside the real practice of enjoying and respecting human rights.

The group also stated that they addressed Serbia's citizens' ombudsman Zoran Pasalic with a complaint and initiative to react with an appropriate recommendation for educational authorities of Serbia because, they say, it is unacceptable for textbooks to be based on "lies and nationalist constructs" in an open and democratic society.

(Telegraf.rs)