The representative of the Democratic Party of Socialists, Milena Orlandić, who inspected the electoral material of the Podgorica Municipal Election Commission, should be heard today after she was arrested last night and detained by the police, the Podgorica Prosecutor's Office confirmed to "News".
As "Vijesti" was told earlier yesterday, she tried to remove two control coupons in order to cause irregularities in the voting at one polling station, which would be the reason for the annulment of the voting results.
DPS announced earlier yesterday that this is not true and that it is a set-up by the opposition.
"The state prosecutor in the Basic State Prosecutor's Office in Podgorica gave an order to detain a person from the Ministry of Justice on grounds of suspicion that he committed the criminal offense of destroying voting documents and bring him to the state prosecutor for questioning," spokeswoman for ODT Podgorica, prosecutor Milica Mandić, told "Vijesta" .
Yesterday, the police intervened in the procedure of election appeals, after representatives of the opposition in the Municipal Election Commission of Podgorica reported an attempt, as they claim, to artificially cause irregularities at certain polling stations in the capital.
The candidate for MP of the "Crno na bijelo" platform, Miloš Konatar, explained yesterday that Milena Orlandić, who was inspecting election materials on behalf of the DPS, tried to remove two control coupons from the polling stations, so that they would not match the number ballots.
The case was reported by MEC member Nikola Terzić (URA), who noticed that Orlandić was removing control coupons, so that later those present found that one was under her foot and the other under the chair.
If Orlandić's attempt had passed, it would have been considered, they claim, a misdemeanor and the vote at the polling station on Sava Kovačević Boulevard in Podgorica would have been annulled.
Yesterday, as confirmed by "Vijesti", the police questioned the members of the Podgorica MEC, after their official note was drawn up and submitted to the investigators. The document, which "Vijesti" had access to, describes what happened.
The DPS dismantled the statements of the opposition parties, and added that this was a subterfuge, because the coupon was located far from the representative of the DPS. "It is clear to anyone who knows the election process that the control of materials cannot change the electoral will of the citizens, and especially not two false coupons out of 152 thousand of them," the DPS press release states.
This party also added that due to the attempt to shorten the deadline that the DPS received for the control of election materials, they have reasonable suspicions that this is "opposition oil".
The Center for Democratic Transition (CDT) called on the prosecutor's office to react urgently with the message that attempting to falsify voting results is one of the most serious crimes in the electoral process, which is clearly defined in Montenegrin legislation.
The three opposition lists that won the parliamentary majority believe that the DPS is abusing the right to appeal, and that it had the intention of changing the voting will of the citizens, by setting up irregularities and canceling the voting at certain polling stations. They also state that the DPS signed all the minutes after the polls closed.
The Podgorica Municipal Election Commission did not receive any complaints last night, while the DPS filed one each with the Kotor and Tivat Election Commissions, "Vijesti" was told from several sources.
This does not have to be the final situation, because there is a legal possibility that complaints about the regularity of the election process were also sent by post last night by 20 pm, when the deadline for that was set, "Vijesti" explained.
President of the MEC Podgorica Veselin Vukčević said that they have not received a single complaint.
Kotor DPS stated in its complaint that a ballot with a coupon was inserted in one polling station, "Vijesti" learns. The law stipulates that during voting the voter inserts the ballot into the box and the coupon remains with the MEC member.
The interlocutor states that the same objection was previously submitted by the Liberal Party, but that it was rejected.
DPS submitted one objection to the vote to the Tivat MEC, but the interlocutor did not want to say what it was referring to. There were no complaints in Budva, although that party inspected the documentation.
The final results of the parliamentary elections could be announced no later than September 14, if the appeals against the decisions of the electoral commissions end up reaching the Constitutional Court.
The representative of the "Black on White" platform in the State Election Commission, Milan Goderović, said that they have information that a similar situation happened in Kotor. "It is another confirmation of the template according to which the DPS works in an organized manner," said Goderović.
One of the leaders of the Democratic Front, Andrija Mandić, called on the outgoing government to show dignity and accept defeat, despite the fact that he believes that "nothing higher and nobler could be expected from a criminal regime and thieving habits", than another criminal act. Democratic Montenegro announced that a criminal complaint will be filed against DPS.
"These are desperate attempts to once again steal the electoral will of the citizens, but they will not succeed," announced the Democrats.
From the objection to the decision of the Constitutional Court
No later than eight o'clock in the morning - on September 14, the SEC is obliged to announce the final results of the parliamentary elections, it follows from the provisions of the Law on the Election of Councilors and Members of Parliament.
Parties, coalitions and voters had the opportunity to file objections to the work of the polling boards to the municipal election commissions until 20:72 p.m. last night, which is XNUMX hours from the closing of the polling stations.
Those commissions should decide on their objections within 24 hours, that is, by 20 p.m. on Thursday.
If they are dissatisfied with the decision of the MEC, they can appeal to the SEC during the next 72 hours, and the State Commission is obliged to decide on that appeal within 24 hours.
That is on Monday, September 7, after which there is a possibility of a constitutional appeal, and only if the SEC has rejected or dismissed the complaint.
The deadline for appeal is 48 hours from the receipt of the decision.
The Constitutional Court then has 24 hours to decide whether there are grounds for a constitutional appeal. Then he sends a complaint to the SEC for a statement, and waits 24 hours for an answer. The Constitutional Court should then decide on the appeal within 48 hours of receiving the answer from the SEC.
If the dynamics of the law are followed, the procedure should end at 20:13 on Sunday - September 12, and the SEC is obliged to announce and determine the final results within XNUMX hours of such a decision. Credit: ND Vijesti Caption: Official note submitted to the police - Photo: ND Vijesti Credit: Boris Pejovic Caption: Reported abuses at the MEC Podgorica: Goderović and Konatar - Photo: Boris Pejović
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