Vujović: Party membership cards in culture ceased to be valid in 2023

On the occasion of the statements by the director of the Festival of International Alternative Theatre Ana Vukotić, I am obliged to respond primarily to the public and the facts, to the attempt to present years of continuous support from the Ministry of Culture and Media to FIAT as a political stance towards this festival. The Ministry of Culture and Media consistently provides significant financial support for the realization of FIAT through co-financing competitions for cultural and artistic events and festivals. These data best illustrate the Ministry's relationship with FIAT and make any claims of institutional neglect or political revenge unfounded. It is important to inform the public that support for FIAT is not limited to financial means. FIAT also receives support through cultural institutions within the Ministry, such as the Montenegrin National Theatre, which provides logistical support by offering its spaces and halls for festival programs. Such institutional support adds value and contributes to the sustainability and realization of the festival, which must be considered when discussing the overall relationship between the state and FIAT. I find particularly inappropriate the statement that publicly questions 'which party one should join.' I inform Ms. Vukotić that party membership cards in culture ceased to be valid in 2023. I confidently assert that support from the Ministry of Culture and Media is not based on political affiliation but on quality, laws, clearly defined criteria, and procedures that apply equally to everyone. The Ministry does not recognize quality based on 'field,' political closeness, or party affiliation. Today, quality is evaluated through procedures, professional criteria, and responsibility to the public interest, not through a political map of suitable or unsuitable. There is no and will not be political revenge in decision-making regarding support for cultural programs at the Ministry of Culture and Media.