The tension over the boycott of the parliament

Representatives of the opposition and the organizing committee of the civil movement "Resist - 97.000" will today discuss the final version of the Agreement on the Future, and the Protestants' insistence on boycotting the Parliament of Montenegro could be the main problem in the negotiations. Several interlocutors of "Vijesti" involved in the negotiations said that a significant part of the opposition MPs in the talks with the member of the organizing committee, Džemal Perović, insisted that the part about the obligation to leave the parliament be omitted from the draft agreement. According to them, it was explained to Perović that the parliament for the opposition is one of the "rare places from which they can address the voters".

"After the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) officially took over the Public Service, the opposition is invisible and under some kind of blockade in the state media. Parliamentary sessions are the only opportunity for citizens to hear us. We must not forget that the representatives of the European Union (EU) constantly insist on returning to the parliament", said one of the interlocutors of "Vijesti".

Representatives of some of the opposition parties left the parliament at the insistence of the organizers of the civil protest, stating that they wanted to support them in their demands that state officials resign by March 16. After the organizers gave up on the idea of ​​not leaving Independence Square after March 16, they were informally told by certain opposition parliamentary clubs that their deputies could return to the parliament. Last Sunday, representatives of the civil movement "Resist" offered the opposition an Agreement on the Future, which, among other things, proposes the formation of a civil unity government in which a third of the seats would be held by representatives of the ruling coalition, the opposition and independent experts. The draft agreement also stipulates that the opposition commit to boycotting the parliament and all elections before the civil unity government creates the conditions for their holding. After Perović organized a meeting with the representatives of the opposition parties, it was decided to change the items in the agreement that are controversial for the opposition.

On the eve of yesterday's meeting with Perović, the leaders of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) offered their proposal for an agreement, which does not mention the boycott of parliament. In the proposal, among other things, the proposal on the formation of a technical government is considered acceptable, whose primary task is to create conditions for fair and democratic elections with consistent change, based on broad consensus, reformed electoral and other legislation. It is also stated that the proposal to boycott all subsequent parliamentary, local and presidential elections is acceptable to all if a technical government is not formed "as the only legal and political guarantor for fair and free elections". The SDP also emphasized that the establishment of a professional, independent and responsible Public Service (RTCG) through impartial management and legal work of the Council is acceptable to everyone in the opposition, which is only possible through fundamental personnel changes.

"We stuck to the proposals that we believe are acceptable to all opposition political subjects, and that they can lead to the necessary agreement on how to resolve the difficult political and institutional crisis. We are convinced that such an agreement is expected from us by the citizens and the democratic public and that we will have an understanding of our international partners on the basis of these principles," the SDP proposal states.

After the conversation with Perović on Monday, the presidency of the Democratic Front (DF) also submitted a proposal for an agreement on joint action.

In the Front, they demanded that with that document, the opposition MPs strongly support the demands of the protest organizers, which demand the resignation of President Milo Đukanović, Prime Minister Duško Marković, Supreme State Prosecutor (VDT) Ivica Stanković, Special State Prosecutor (SDT) Milivoj Katnić, Director of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (ASK) Sreten Radonjić and director of RTCG Božidar Šundić. In the proposal of the agreement, it is also requested that the opposition parties and MPs undertake that "under totalitarian conditions, they will not participate in the next elections". DF is also demanding the formation of a technical government that would provide conditions for holding free and democratic general elections, as well as continuous cooperation with protest organizers "in an atmosphere of mutual trust and without exclusivity and blackmail."

A technical government does not change foreign policy

Part of the opposition parties asked to omit the part from the agreement stating that the civil unity government will not change the current foreign policy direction of Montenegro through any of its activities or decisions. Although Perović clarified after presenting the agreement that he insists on stability in the region, the opposition believes that part of the agreement is unnecessary.

"That request only accentuates the differences within the opposition. It is not the mandate of the technical government to influence the foreign policy of the state, but to provide conditions for holding fair elections. Foreign policy would be taken care of by the government formed after the free elections", said the interlocutor of "Vijesti" from the opposition.

Delaying the deal benefits DPS

United Montenegro MP Goran Danilović said that the DF's offer was acceptable to that party, stating that an agreement should be reached as soon as possible.

"Our only proposal that remains unfulfilled is - let's sit down and come to an agreement. One meeting is enough. Let's not negotiate through the media, let's not feed DPS with public misunderstandings. We are ready already tomorrow," said Danilović, emphasizing that the differences in the proposals of the protest organizers and the opposition are easily overcome. "A little mutual respect and we will solve the problem. Then comes the more difficult part of the job, which is the talks with the DPS and wise political action towards the international community. If we fall on the first step, we should not regret future steps because we do not deserve them," he said.

#oduprise: Citizens say that changes are inevitable

"The organizers of the 'Resist - 97000' protest received proposals for amendments to the draft "Agreement on the Future" from the Democratic Front and the Social Democratic Party.

We believe that this is a good way to continue cooperation with the aim of resolving the difficult political crisis. Some parties have already supported the draft agreement in principle. Only with a joint effort can we reach a document that will be acceptable to everyone. To that end, we have sent an invitation to the leaders of the parliamentary opposition parties to resolve the remaining doubts at a joint meeting that will be held on Wednesday. "After all, tens of thousands of citizens sent an unequivocal message from the streets of Podgorica to the domestic and international public that changes in Montenegro are inevitable and urgent," the organizers of the protest announced last night.