The list starts on November 1st?

Although the leaders of the executive power announced a month ago that there is little chance that the population census will be held by the end of the year, the Government plans to start its implementation on November 1 - "Vijesti" unofficially learns.

According to the draft law on the census, which "Vijesti" had access to, it is planned to take place by the end of the year. The exact period of implementation will be determined by the Government. The regulation on the census, about which there are already controversies - whether it should only be a register or also record religion and nation - was not publicly debated, and it is not certain that it will be due to the short deadline.

The Ministry of Finance and Social Welfare, which is the proposer of the law, did not respond to "Vijesti" whether the Draft will be considered at today's Government session, nor whether the document will be at the public hearing.

The Council of the Statistical System was supposed to give its opinion on the Draft two days ago, but, as "Vijesti" has learned unofficially, the majority of members of that body were against it, because the mentioned document was delivered to them only at the beginning of the session. And she was scheduled according to the urgent procedure.

The executive director of the Center for Democratic Transition (CDT), Dragan Koprivica, immediately resigned from membership in that body. He announced that the Council was asked to declare within 24 hours whether it accepts the Draft Law.

The members of the Council demanded that a public discussion be held on the content of the data, the collection of which is foreseen by the Draft, for at least 20 to 40 days.

Despite the fact that the EU has repeatedly emphasized that data on nation, religion and language are not essential for the census, the Government also provided for their collection in the draft.

The EU recommended a register census, which is a method of collecting data on census units (persons, households and apartments) on the basis of available registers maintained by state administration bodies.

The draft also provides for the collection of data on marital status, cohabitation, life partnership of persons of the same sex, knowledge of foreign languages ​​and computer work, occupation, place of work...

The document states, among other things, that the data will be collected directly, using the interview method, in the premises where the person lives.

Censuses in Montenegro have been carried out according to the traditional method, "from door to door".

Koprivica told "Vijesti" that a possible Government decision to adopt the Draft Law on Census without a public debate would be very dangerous and illegal under the current circumstances, and that it would not be in line with the EU integration process.

"If this happens, the Government would directly violate the Law on State Administration and the regulation that regulates the implementation of public hearings in the preparation of laws and strategies. According to this law, the ministries are obliged to conduct public hearings for the purpose of consulting the interested public. The Ministry of Finance must organize a public hearing lasting at least 20 days, as prescribed by the by-law. Also, the Government would grossly violate the principle of transparency, which it has repeatedly proclaimed as one of its important priorities. In addition to this, the principle of inclusivity of important actors on the public scene - in this case users of statistical data - would be violated," said Koprivica.

Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapić and Deputy Prime Minister Dritan Abazović announced at the beginning of August that it is difficult to expect the census by the end of the year, as major preparations are needed for its realization.

The DF immediately replied that they would rather replace the Government than allow the census not to take place.

They called on the Prime Minister to propose a law on the census and said that they would come to the Assembly to vote for that act.

The leaders of the DF have repeatedly emphasized that after the census it will be seen how many Serbs there actually are in Montenegro, that is, that the majority of citizens in the country declare themselves as Serbs.

According to the draft, the preliminary results of the census will be published by the Directorate of Statistics within 30 days from the end of the census, while the final results will be published according to the Annual Plan of Official Statistics and the Calendar of Publication of Statistical Data.

The ministries of justice, human and minority rights, foreign affairs, defense and interior affairs, the Administration for Cadastre and State Property, and other bodies, organizations and institutions participate in the preparation of the census.

In the draft, it is written that funds for financing the census are provided from the budget of Montenegro.

"Political trade is not more important than the stability of the country and good governance"

Dragan Koprivica says that the Government, by adopting the draft law on the census without a public debate, would clearly demonstrate that political trade is more important to it than respecting the principles of good governance and stability in the country.

"A decision like this, after the tensions we had on Sunday in Cetinje, could have unfathomable consequences for the stability of society and would cause a new round of instability that, this time, could end in a tragic way. We hope that the decision-makers will understand where this behavior of the Government could lead us and that they will return to respect for the law and democratic procedures", emphasizes Koprivica.

Emergency session after reconciliation with DF

An emergency electronic session of the Council of the Statistical System is scheduled for early Tuesday morning. That was two days after Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapić called the leaders of the DF to a midnight meeting in the Government, to whom, as they announced at the press conference, he complained about the coup d'état in the Government and in connection with the events in Cetinje.

Andrija Mandić and Milan Knežević announced at the press conference that "broader consultations were necessary not only by the executive power, but also by those who support that executive power, given that there was a problem in the government and in the management of the police, where some did not want to do their part work".

On the same day as the emergency session of the Council, journalists met the leaders of the DF at the exit from the Government building. Commenting on this, the Prime Minister confirmed at the press conference that he had spoken with them and thanked them, as he said, because they "gave support to all our activities".

At the beginning of June this year, after the dismissal of the Minister of Justice Vladimir Leposavic and the adoption of the Resolution on Srebrenica, the DF canceled its vote of confidence in the Government, and they were particularly revolted by Krivokapić.

During the discussion about his initiative to dismiss Leposavic, the DF announced that they no longer support him. Krivokapić retorted that he does not accept blackmail and that the DF and the DPS are "most directly arranging the overthrow of the Government and the Parliament of Montenegro, all with the aim of calling new parliamentary elections".