The Monitor (Montenegro)
Encyclopedia
Monitor is a weekly newsmagazine
published in Podgorica
, Montenegro
.
Started on October 19, 1990 by university professor Miodrag Perović
and businessman Stanislav "Ćano" Koprivica, the magazine appeared at a time when the single-party political system in SFR Yugoslavia had been abolished and its constituent republics were preparing for parliamentary elections with multiple parties. At the time, Socialist Republic of Montenegro was ruled by the Yugoslav Communist League
's (SKJ) Montenegrin branch
(SKCG), more specifically the triumvirate of Momir Bulatović
, Milo Đukanović, and Svetozar Marović
who were swept into power the previous year during the so called anti-bureaucratic revolution
, an administrative putsch within Montenegrin Communist League initiated by Slobodan Milošević
and carried out with the great deal of help from the state security apparatus that he controlled by this time.
The first issue of Monitor was printed in Sarajevo
in 20,000 copies and then distributed in Montenegro where it sold in symbolic numbers - only couple of hundred of copies. Although the magazine listed 76 individuals as its founders (among them politicians Slavko Perović
, Jusuf Kalamperović, Žarko Rakčević, Ljubiša Stanković, Dragiša Burzan
, Stevo Vučinić, etc.), in actuality only Miško Perović (editor-in-chief) and Ćano Koprivica (main financier) had actual influence on magazine's editorial policy. Following the poor sales of first issue, the magazine effectively went bankrupt and was only kept alive by individual donations. The next eight issues were also printed in Sarajevo.
Since Koprivica also generously financed Liberal Alliance of Montenegro
(LSCG) and Social Democratic Party of Montenegro
(SDPCG), Monitor was in essence another arm of the same political front. Somewhat similar in tone and political stance to other liberal publications at the time in Yugoslavia such as Vreme
from Belgrade
or Feral Tribune
from Split, Monitor was also very critical of the rising nationalism
across the country, especially of Slobodan Milošević and his regime in SR Serbia
. Furthermore, it also frequently criticized the Montenegrin communist leadership, considering them to be Milošević's pawns. As the League of Communists of Montenegro transformed into the Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro
(DPS) in July 1991 and the country slid into the civil war, Monitor adopted a strong anti-war stance with pointed criticism of Montenegro's involvement and effort in it through the attack on Konavle
and the Siege of Dubrovnik
. Managed out of a family house in Podgorica's Dalmatinska Street, the magazine intensely criticized the ruling party DPS and its leading members: Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Đukanović, Montenegrin President Momir Bulatović as well as the regime's chief ideologue and party's leader at the time Svetozar Marović. Its makeshift offices were even fire bombed during the Siege of Dubrovnik. During the same period, and especially following the creation of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia after the 1992 Montenegrin referendum
, Monitor was a strong supporter and advocate of Montenegrin independence, which even more aligned it politically and ideologically with LSCG and SDPCG.
By spring 1994, Koprivica mostly ended his financial support of Monitor, which is when Miško Perović took over that aspect of running the magazine as well. Organizationally, the magazine was under the umbrella of Perović's Montenegropublic company. Although George Soros
already had a prominent part in Monitors financing through the local branch of his newly founded Open Society Institute
network, this affiliation became even more pronounced after Koprivica left.
In September 1995, the magazine's place in the Montenegropublic's organizational structure got changed when it was registered within the company as a distinct entity whose managing director became Željko Ivanović. On the same occasion, the same was done with Montenegropublic's other assests at the time: radio station Antena M
and radio production studio Mouse.
By late 1990s most on the list of original owners signed their stake in the magazine over to Perovic who basically became the sole owner.
Newsmagazine
A news magazine is a typed, printed, and published piece of paper, magazine or a radio or television program, usually weekly, featuring articles or segments on current events...
published in Podgorica
Podgorica
Podgorica , is the capital and largest city of Montenegro.Podgorica's favourable position at the confluence of the Ribnica and Morača rivers and the meeting point of the fertile Zeta Plain and Bjelopavlići Valley has encouraged settlement...
, Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
.
Started on October 19, 1990 by university professor Miodrag Perović
Miodrag Perović
Miodrag "Miško" Perović, PhD is a Montenegrin intellectual, journalist, media publisher, university professor, political activist, and businessman....
and businessman Stanislav "Ćano" Koprivica, the magazine appeared at a time when the single-party political system in SFR Yugoslavia had been abolished and its constituent republics were preparing for parliamentary elections with multiple parties. At the time, Socialist Republic of Montenegro was ruled by the Yugoslav Communist League
League of Communists of Yugoslavia
League of Communists of Yugoslavia , before 1952 the Communist Party of Yugoslavia League of Communists of Yugoslavia (Serbo-Croatian: Savez komunista Jugoslavije/Савез комуниста Југославије, Slovene: Zveza komunistov Jugoslavije, Macedonian: Сојуз на комунистите на Југославија, Sojuz na...
's (SKJ) Montenegrin branch
League of Communists of Montenegro
The League of Communists of Montenegro was the Montenegrin branch of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia, the sole legal party of Yugoslavia from 1945 to 1990...
(SKCG), more specifically the triumvirate of Momir Bulatović
Momir Bulatovic
Momir Bulatović , formerly served as a Yugoslavian and Montenegrin politician. Bulatović became federal President of Montenegro while Montenegro was part of a Yugoslav federation, and also Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia...
, Milo Đukanović, and Svetozar Marović
Svetozar Marovic
Svetozar Marović ; born March 31, 1955) is a lawyer and a Montenegrin politician. He was the only president of Serbia and Montenegro...
who were swept into power the previous year during the so called anti-bureaucratic revolution
Anti-bureaucratic revolution
Anti-bureaucratic revolution as a term, refers to a series of mass protests against governments of Yugoslavian republics and autonomous provinces during 1988 and 1989, which led to resignations of leaderships of Kosovo, Vojvodina and Montenegro, and the capture of power by politicians close to...
, an administrative putsch within Montenegrin Communist League initiated by Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević was President of Serbia and Yugoslavia. He served as the President of Socialist Republic of Serbia and Republic of Serbia from 1989 until 1997 in three terms and as President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1997 to 2000...
and carried out with the great deal of help from the state security apparatus that he controlled by this time.
The first issue of Monitor was printed in Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
in 20,000 copies and then distributed in Montenegro where it sold in symbolic numbers - only couple of hundred of copies. Although the magazine listed 76 individuals as its founders (among them politicians Slavko Perović
Slavko Perovic
Slavko Perović , born on 2 August 1954, is a Montenegrin politician. He is best known as a co-founder and former leader of Liberal Alliance of Montenegro , former party that was fighting for independence of Montenegro and promoting liberalism in Montenegro throughout the 1990s and early...
, Jusuf Kalamperović, Žarko Rakčević, Ljubiša Stanković, Dragiša Burzan
Dragiša Burzan
Dragiša Burzan has been the Serbia and Montenegro ambassador to London since 2004. Before his diplomatic appointment, he was the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro between 2003 and 2004.Burzan attended school in Titograd, then part of Yugoslavia...
, Stevo Vučinić, etc.), in actuality only Miško Perović (editor-in-chief) and Ćano Koprivica (main financier) had actual influence on magazine's editorial policy. Following the poor sales of first issue, the magazine effectively went bankrupt and was only kept alive by individual donations. The next eight issues were also printed in Sarajevo.
Since Koprivica also generously financed Liberal Alliance of Montenegro
Liberal Alliance of Montenegro
The Liberal Alliance of Montenegro was a liberal political party in Montenegro. The party used to be a member of Liberal International....
(LSCG) and Social Democratic Party of Montenegro
Social Democratic Party of Montenegro
The Social Democratic Party of Montenegro is a political party in Montenegro....
(SDPCG), Monitor was in essence another arm of the same political front. Somewhat similar in tone and political stance to other liberal publications at the time in Yugoslavia such as Vreme
Vreme
Vreme is a weekly newsmagazine based in Belgrade, Serbia.After being prepared for seven months throughout 1990 by liberal Serbian intellectuals dissatisfied with the regime's control of the media, its first issue came out on October 29, 1990. Most of its original staff were journalists from...
from Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
or Feral Tribune
Feral Tribune
Feral Tribune was a Croatian political weekly magazine. Based in Split, it first started as a political satire supplement in Nedjeljna Dalmacija before evolving into an independent satirical weekly paper in 1993...
from Split, Monitor was also very critical of the rising nationalism
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
across the country, especially of Slobodan Milošević and his regime in SR Serbia
Socialist Republic of Serbia
Socialist Republic of Serbia was a socialist state that was a constituent country of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. It is a predecessor of modern day Serbia, which served as the biggest republic in the Yugoslav federation and held the largest population of all the Yugoslav...
. Furthermore, it also frequently criticized the Montenegrin communist leadership, considering them to be Milošević's pawns. As the League of Communists of Montenegro transformed into the Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro
Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro
The Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro is the ruling social-democratic political party in Montenegro....
(DPS) in July 1991 and the country slid into the civil war, Monitor adopted a strong anti-war stance with pointed criticism of Montenegro's involvement and effort in it through the attack on Konavle
Konavle
Konavle is a small region and municipality located southeast of Dubrovnik, Croatia.It is administratively part of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County and forms a municipality with its center at Gruda with a total population of 8,250 people split in 32 villages, in which 96.5% are Croats...
and the Siege of Dubrovnik
Siege of Dubrovnik
The Siege of Dubrovnik is a term marking the battle and siege of the city of Dubrovnik and the surrounding area in Croatia as part of the Croatian War of Independence. Yugoslav People's Army invaded the Dubrovnik area in October 1991 from Montenegro, Bosnia and even parts of Croatia, surrounding...
. Managed out of a family house in Podgorica's Dalmatinska Street, the magazine intensely criticized the ruling party DPS and its leading members: Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Đukanović, Montenegrin President Momir Bulatović as well as the regime's chief ideologue and party's leader at the time Svetozar Marović. Its makeshift offices were even fire bombed during the Siege of Dubrovnik. During the same period, and especially following the creation of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia after the 1992 Montenegrin referendum
Montenegrin independence referendum, 1992
The Montenegrin independence referendum of 1992 was the first independence referendum for Montenegrin independence. 421,549 citizens were registered voters.- Campaign :...
, Monitor was a strong supporter and advocate of Montenegrin independence, which even more aligned it politically and ideologically with LSCG and SDPCG.
By spring 1994, Koprivica mostly ended his financial support of Monitor, which is when Miško Perović took over that aspect of running the magazine as well. Organizationally, the magazine was under the umbrella of Perović's Montenegropublic company. Although George Soros
George Soros
George Soros is a Hungarian-American business magnate, investor, philosopher, and philanthropist. He is the chairman of Soros Fund Management. Soros supports progressive-liberal causes...
already had a prominent part in Monitors financing through the local branch of his newly founded Open Society Institute
Open Society Institute
The Open Society Institute , renamed in 2011 to Open Society Foundations, is a private operating and grantmaking foundation started by George Soros, aimed to shape public policy to promote democratic governance, human rights, and economic, legal, and social reform...
network, this affiliation became even more pronounced after Koprivica left.
In September 1995, the magazine's place in the Montenegropublic's organizational structure got changed when it was registered within the company as a distinct entity whose managing director became Željko Ivanović. On the same occasion, the same was done with Montenegropublic's other assests at the time: radio station Antena M
Radio Antena M
Antena M is a radio station in Montenegro, one of the most popular in the country. The president and owner of the station is Darko Šuković, a prominent Montenegrin journalist...
and radio production studio Mouse.
By late 1990s most on the list of original owners signed their stake in the magazine over to Perovic who basically became the sole owner.
External links
- The Monitor website (in Montenegrin)