The constituent session of the Parliament of Montenegro, where the mandates of the newly elected deputies are verified, should be held no later than September 29.
This is foreseen by the Constitution, which stipulates that it is convened by the President of the Assembly of the previous convocation and is held no later than 15 days after the publication of the final election results.
From the date of the first session, a period of one month begins to run, during which the President Milo Đukanović (DPS) should propose a representative for the composition of the new government.
The new parliamentary majority for now consists of three opposition coalitions - "For the future of Montenegro", "Peace is our nation" and "Black on white". Until yesterday, their representatives did not start discussions about positions in the new government..., it was confirmed to "Vijesta" from several sources.
The Coalition "For the Future of Montenegro" told Vijesti television that they are intensively discussing the proposal for the President of the Assembly with their colleagues from the "Peace is our Nation" and "Crno na bijelo" alliances and that the best solution will be found by the time the parliamentary majority is formed.
At the constitutive session of the Assembly, the president and vice-presidents and the Administrative Board are elected, which then decides on other personnel decisions, that is, proposals for the formation of other parliamentary working bodies.
The session will be chaired by the oldest deputy of the new convocation, in this case Miodrag Lekić, from the "Peace is our nation" coalition, and assisted by the youngest, Maksim Vučinić, from the "For the Future of Montenegro" coalition.
Given that the State Election Commission (SEC) yesterday determined the final results of the parliamentary elections in Montenegro, which were held on August 30, the Constitution stipulates that the current head of the parliament, Ivan Brajović, schedules the first session of the new convocation - which must be held no later than 15 days from the date of publication of the final election results.
However, the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly provide shorter deadlines: "The summons to the first session is delivered to the newly elected MPs on the day following the submission of the report of the State Election Commission on the conducted elections, and the session is held no later than five days from the date of sending the summons to the MPs".
This would mean that the constituent session could be held on September 20.
Yesterday, after the announcement of the results of the election, the SEC submitted a report to the Assembly, which means that Brajović could, according to the Rules of Procedure, issue a convocation today and the session could be held on Sunday, that is, Tuesday as the first working day in the Assembly.
Holders of electoral lists that secured parliamentary status will discuss the date with Brajović tomorrow. He invited them to a consultative meeting, after the SEC announced the final results.
The President of Montenegro proposes a representative within 30 days from the date of constitution of the Assembly.
"The President of Montenegro... proposes to the Assembly... a mandate for the composition of the Government, after discussions with the representatives of the political parties represented in the Assembly," the Constitution says.
The representative for the composition of the government presents his program in the Assembly and proposes the composition of the Government. The Assembly decides on the mandate program and the proposal for the composition of the government at the same time.
According to the official results of the parliamentary elections, the coalition "Decidedly for Montenegro! DPS - Milo Đukanović" won 30 mandates, the coalition "For the Future of Montenegro" 27, the coalition "Peace is our nation" ten, and the platform "Black on White" four mandates.
The Social Democrats (SD) and the Bosniak Party (BS) will each have three deputies, and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) will have two. The Albanian list "Nik Đeljošaj - Genci Nimanbegu" and the coalition "Jednoglasno" will each have one representative.
In the 2016 parliamentary elections, the Democratic Party of Socialists won 36 mandates, the Democratic Front 18, the large coalition Ključ (DEMOS-SNP-URA) won nine mandates, and the Democrats - "Victory does not divide" eight mandates.
The Social Democratic Party had four mandates, the Bosniak Party and the Social Democrats had two mandates each, the Alliance of Albanians decisively and the Croatian Civic Initiative one mandate each.
The President of the SEC, Aleksa Ivanović, said that the SEC, the municipal election commissions, and the polling committees properly implemented all actions in the election process:
"The SEC performed all its actions as it announced at the beginning of the election process, in accordance with the election calendar."
There will be a lot of political veterans, as well as new faces, in the benches of the new convocation of the Assembly.
Well-known people are mostly on the parliamentary list of the Democratic Party of Socialists, Social Democrats, and Social Democratic Party, while in the coalition "For the Future of Montenegro", gathered around the Democratic Front, in addition to already established politicians, there are party functionaries less known to the public.
From the coalition "For the Future of Montenegro", the most famous "new face" is its leader Zdravko Krivokapić. New faces in the Assembly from the same coalition will be doctor Vladimir Dobričanin from the United Montenegro, president of the municipal committee of the Movement for Change in Nikšić Vladan Raičević, councilor of NOVA in Berane Jelena Božović, DNP official Dragan Bojović, vice president of the OO of the Movement for Change (PzP) Berane Jovanka Bogavac, secretary of the executive committee of the GO SNP Dragan Vukić....
Rare among the first 30 on the DPS list of deputies who were not in the state parliament are the president of the Chamber of Commerce Vlastimir Golubović, who after the party congress entered the Presidency of the DPS, the president of the club of DPS councilors in the Assembly of Bijelo Polje Vesna Pavićević, the president of Nikšić party committee Ivan Mitrović and the current president of the Bijelo Polje Municipal Assembly Abaz Dizdarević.
The new faces of the coalition "Peace is our nation" in the Assembly will be the president of the municipal board Demokrata Petnjica, doctor Albin Ćeman, doctor Tamara Vujović, former vice president of the Municipality of Herceg Novi and assistant to the minister of health from the opposition in the 2016 Electoral Trust Government...
Depoliticization and the same state course as the principles of negotiations
The new government, as the holder of the electoral list "For the future of Montenegro" Zdravko Krivokapić said earlier, could be expected by the end of October. He stated that it will be an expert, or "government of salvation" and that it will include numerous experts from Montenegro who are ready to return from abroad.
So far, it is not certain whether it will include political leaders who were on the electoral lists, and apparently it will have to come to that. Krivokapić said that some of them see themselves as experts who would like to help. Minority parties have been invited to be part of the government several times.
The leaders of the three coalitions signed an agreement on the basic principles of the government, which states that the new government will implement all the international obligations that the state has undertaken, strengthen and improve cooperation with NATO, and implement all the reforms necessary for Montenegro's full membership in the European Union.
Also, that they will depoliticize key state institutions for the sake of an "uncompromising fight against crime and corruption", that they will not launch any initiatives or procedures aimed at changing the state flag, coat of arms and anthem, then that they will not initiate proceedings to withdraw the recognition of Kosovo's independence, nor carry out revanchism on political or any other basis.
Đeljošaj: Mistrust towards the representatives of the Serbs, we hope for a solution in the conversation
In the statement signed yesterday by Nik Đeljošaj, the holder of the "Albanska Lista - Genci Nimanbegu Nik Gjelošaj", he welcomes the democratic elections, reminds of the progress made by the country, but also the need to fight against crime and corruption.
"Despite the deep social divisions that culminated in the adoption of the new Law on Freedom of Religion and Beliefs, the signs we see in the run-up to our elections are encouraging. We must, however, work to ensure that our minorities are comfortable with the policies that finally emerge. There is still a lack of trust in the political process - especially regarding the parties representing Serbs in Montenegro. We hope that this concern can be further defined and considered in direct discussion with the leaders of these parties. Although they have declared their intention to invite and include the minority parties in formal talks on the formation of a new government, we are still waiting for official invitations so that we can react and prepare for the upcoming talks and negotiations. Our Albanian communities are committed to maintaining and improving good neighborly relations with all countries in the region, including Serbia. Accordingly, we closely monitor the negotiations between Serbia and Kosovo on the international level and reiterate our full support for the agreement that was recently signed under the auspices of the USA," he said.
Rising Rajnke: We are looking forward to the partnership with the new government
"The American government looks forward to partnering with the future government, constituted through a democratic process, as a reflection of the will of the people." The United States will continue to be a friend, partner and ally of the citizens of Montenegro," said the US ambassador in Podgorica, Judy Reising Rajnke.
On behalf of the US government, the embassy of that country in Podgorica welcomes the determination of the three leaders of the new parliamentary majority to continue Montenegro's Euro-Atlantic course.
"And while the democratic process continues in the period of formation of the new government, the American government welcomes the promises of various political leaders to keep Montenegro on the Euro-Atlantic path, maintain the key elements of Montenegrin foreign policy and prioritize the reforms needed to accelerate accession to the European Union. We are convinced that Montenegro fully integrated into Western institutions will lead to greater prosperity and a brighter future for all Montenegrin citizens," the press release stated after the announcement of the final election results. "The American government hopes that the peace and dignity demonstrated by Montenegrin citizens on election day will prevail in the post-election period as well. The American government condemns all acts of violence and intimidation and calls for the protection of minorities and human rights, the key principles of democracy...," the US Embassy in Podgorica said in a statement.
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