Since when are Gordana Kalezić i Milan Remiković proposed as vice governors of the Central Bank of Montenegro (CBCG), to date we have not heard a single reason why two quality and credible candidates should not receive support in the Parliament of Montenegro. I myself am surprised that they were not elected,” said the Governor of the CBCG Irena Radović two days ago for "Vijesti".
Radović did not want to comment on speculation that her candidates did not receive support from part of the "For the Future of Montenegro" coalition because she did not propose a candidate close to them for one seat, and that they did not receive votes from Europe because it is hindering the Development Bank project, which does not yet have a license from the supreme monetary institution to conduct payment transactions.
In the vote two days ago, Kalezić received 21 votes from deputies, out of the required 41, with 21 abstentions, while Remiković received 15 votes in favor and 28 abstentions.
Kalezić received part of the votes of the ruling majority from Nova, DNP, SNP and Democrats, as well as the vote of Ilir Capuni from the Albanian Alliance and Boris Mugoša from SD. When it comes to her, those from Europe Now and the Bosniak Party abstained, while the others did not vote. Some of the deputies from DNP, SNP and Democrats voted for Remiković, as did Čapuni, Mugoša and Darko Dragović from Europe Now, while those abstaining were from Europe Now, the Bosniak Party and Nova.
No one from the ruling majority in the plenum had any discussion on these agenda items, while only Mugoša from the opposition discussed them.
The Law on the Central Bank only stipulates that candidates for vice governors are proposed by the governor and elected by the Parliament, but does not specify the situation when these candidates are not elected, i.e. whether the governor can nominate them again, whether she must seek other candidates and within what deadline. A spokesperson for the largest opposition party, DPS, whose MPs did not participate in the vote, Milos Nikolic He said that this vote shows that Governor Radović has lost the trust of those who elected her to that position and that the only rational move is her resignation.
"As the Governor of the Central Bank of Montenegro, I have done everything within my competence, and in accordance with the Constitution, the Law on the Central Bank of Montenegro, which is fully aligned with EU directives and best international practices, in August 2024 I proposed two reputable, credible, politically neutral and internationally recognized candidates, with the aim of ensuring the full independence of the institution. Since Gordana Kalezić and Milan Remiković were proposed as vice governors, to date we have not heard a single reason why two quality and credible candidates should not receive support in the Parliament of Montenegro. I myself am surprised that they were not elected,” said Radović.
When asked whether she would resign due to the vote or propose new candidates, the governor stated: "Of course I will not resign."
"I will continue to work in accordance with the Constitution and the Law, convinced that Montenegro deserves to be a society founded on meritocracy and European values, with the Central Bank as an institution independent of any kind of political influence," said Radović.
According to unofficial information from "Vijesti", before the election to the position, Governor Radović allegedly promised the coalition "For the Future of Montenegro" that she would propose their candidate. Nebojsa Djokovic for the vice governor, while Europe is now resentful of the CBCG's stance towards the Development Bank project and the failure to open a payment account.
"Vijesti" asked whether these two reasons influenced its candidates' failure to receive support from MPs from these parties.
"You will have to ask them why the MPs did not support the proposed candidates. I do not want to comment on speculation. But everyone knows that the Central Bank of Montenegro, as an independent institution, and I as the Governor, do not operate on the basis of promises, pressure or agreements that could violate the Constitution and the law," said Radović.
"Vijesti" was unable to get a comment from the ruling majority yesterday on why they did not support the candidates for vice governors, nor from the DPS on why they did not participate in the vote when they were present in the hall.
"The fact that the two vice governors of the Central Bank of Montenegro proposed by Radović were not elected represents a new collapse of the parliamentary majority and confirmation that the fight for seats, in the absence of any common vision, is the only cohesive factor holding them together," Miloš Nikolić stated on the social network X.
CBCG: Failure to appoint a vice governor is a step backwards
The Central Bank of Montenegro stated in its statement two days ago that independence is key to the operation of this institution in accordance with the Constitution of Montenegro and the Law on the Central Bank of Montenegro, and that the selection of the Vice Governor and members of the Council must be based on the principles of professionalism, integrity and credibility as fundamental principles for preserving the functionality of the institution.
"It is precisely in this context that Gordana Kalezić and Milan Remiković, candidates with exceptional professional references, were nominated for the positions of Vice Governor, against whose appointment, from August 2024, when they were proposed until today, not a single argument has been presented. The candidacy of Kalezić and Remiković, following the election of Irena Radović as Governor of the Central Bank of Montenegro, represents a continuation of the process of appointment to management positions based on professional references and integrity.
We emphasize that the failure to appoint the proposed candidates represents a step backwards in terms of the full functionality of the Central Bank of Montenegro and the standards of institutional independence, which are key aspects of the European integration process. This is clearly indicated by last week's Joint Conclusions of the Economic and Financial Dialogue between the EU and the candidate countries, which specify that 'in accordance with the principles of central bank independence, it is necessary to ensure a transparent selection of members of the Council of the Central Bank of Montenegro, including vice-governors, based on the competences of the candidates and carried out in accordance with the Law on the Central Bank of Montenegro', the statement said.
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