PODGORICA, Montenegro — On Sunday, a large demonstration took place in Montenegro, with several thousand individuals gathering to demand the resignation of key security officials following a tragic shooting that left 12 people dead, including two children, earlier in the week.
Chanting slogans such as “Resignations” and “Killers,” demonstrators gathered outside the Interior Ministry in Podgorica, the nation’s capital, calling for the departure of Interior Minister Danilo Šaranovi? and Deputy Prime Minister for Security and Defense Aleksa Be?i?.
One of the rally’s organizers, Milo Perovi?, who is affiliated with a student-led group, addressed the crowd, stating that innocent lives were lost under the current leadership’s watch. “You failed to protect us, so resign!” he exclaimed, expressing the crowd’s sentiments.
Earlier in the day, a moment of silence lasting 12 minutes was held in Cetinje, the historic capital of Montenegro, where the shooting occurred on Wednesday. This incident marked the second mass shooting in Cetinje within less than three years.
Many residents of Cetinje, along with other citizens across Montenegro, believe that law enforcement did not adequately manage the incidents and have failed to improve security measures following the previous massacre in August 2022.
The shooting, which was triggered by a brawl in a bar, involved a local man, aged 45, who returned armed after leaving the establishment, resulting in the deaths of four individuals there and eight others in separate locations before he ultimately took his own life.
This horrifying event has raised serious concerns regarding the escalating violence in Montenegrin society, which is marked by political divisions. Furthermore, it has called into question the capacity of state entities to address significant issues, including the regulation of gun ownership.
Authorities have claimed that the shooting was unpredictable, even though the assailant, identified as Aco Martinovi?, had a history of violent behavior and illegal firearm possession. His victims included friends and family members.
In response to the incident, Montenegrin officials promptly announced stringent new gun control laws along with measures to tackle the prevalence of illegal weapons in the country, which has a population of roughly 620,000 people.
On Sunday, police conducted several searches throughout the nation, seizing around 20 firearms, over 500 rounds of ammunition, and explosives.
During the protests in both Cetinje and Podgorica, participants demanded the “demilitarization” of society, calling for the destruction of illegal firearms, increased taxes on gun ownership, and a moratorium on new gun licenses until existing permits could be re-evaluated against stricter standards.
The tragic shooting in Cetinje in 2022 resulted in the deaths of 10 individuals, including two children, before the assailant was shot and killed by a bystander.
At the rally in Cetinje, protest organizer Maja Gardaševi? raised critical questions about the situation. “Why did a massacre happen in Cetinje for the second time?” she asked. “Why is no one held accountable? Why is it so difficult to resign?”
