Lekić undisputed, URA is looking for a "control package" of the government

The parties of the parliamentary majority of Postavgustov agree that the leader of Demos Miodrag Lekić should be the new mandate, but the final decision on exiting the political crisis was postponed again after the Citizens' Movement (GP) URA and the Socialist People's Party (SNP) requested to have a "control package" of the government with the minority parties.

Prime Minister in technical mandate and leader of GP URA Dritan Abazovic he said late last night that the meeting of the "old majority" will probably continue this morning and that they and the Democratic Front (DF) presented demands that, as he stated, should be declared by the others.

"We are asking to cover the security sector and to have a control package with the SNP and the minorities, which is one more ministry than the others, and that the ministers who are now in the government remain. And the DF is looking for the security sector," he said, adding that he believes that the DF should have a leading position in the Assembly.

The leader of the Right Marko Milacic he said it was "classical conditioning".

"We asked today to put signatures for Lekić to be the mandate holder. Colleagues from Ura said that they agree, but that we need to agree on the composition of the government. I invite you to come to an agreement because the deadlines are calling us. Let's put the signatures of 41 deputies, give Lekić a mandate, and take the signatures (to the president of the state) Milo Đukanović, without any of us going on a date with him. And then, in the period until the election of the government, Lekić will work on what the URA is asking for. "It is not a good attitude that nine MPs are asking for a 'control package'," Milacic said.

Democratic president Aleksa Becic he accused GP URA of blackmail and maximalist demands, stating that they kept changing them and taking a step back.

"We will see how this will continue, whether someone will look at democratic principles and citizens. We will continue to be maximally constructive and hope that reason will prevail and that the politics of conditioning will stop," said Bečić, stating that the executive power should be constituted based on the strength of each party in the parliament.

Yesterday's negotiations of the former majority, which lasted until late at night, were preceded by four meetings at which, except for the signing of an agreement that provided for the election of a new government and parliamentary administration, no serious step was taken towards solving the crisis of power.

During the conversation, which, like yesterday, was initiated by one of the DF leaders Andrija Mandic, several candidates for the mandate were mentioned, but there was no compromise. A major breakthrough was made yesterday when they agreed that the representative of the coalition "Peer is our nation" and the leader Demosa Lekić will be the mandate holder. The final agreement was postponed in order to agree on the division of portfolios in the government.

Abazović proposed yesterday that a civil activist Vanja Ćalović Marković will be a mandate holder, the Democrats repeated the idea that the vice-president of the Assembly and the former minister of health cover the leading positions Branka Bosniak i Jelena Borovinić Bojović, while he is the leader of the Socialist People's Party Vladimir Jokovic proposed the current Minister of Finance for the mandate Aleksandar Damjanović.

Previously, on the eve of the meeting, the leader of the Democrats, Bečić, announced that his party would accept any party or non-party candidate who did not cooperate with the DPS. Yesterday, in the first part of the meeting, the Democrats, as told to "Vijesti", did not make any demands.

Yesterday afternoon in the parliament, Mandić announced to the journalists that a high level of agreement had been reached for Lekić to be the mandate holder and that he had not registered anyone who would be against that proposal. However, he repeated that the parties agreed on the principle that "nothing is agreed until everything is agreed".

"We have an agreement for the Government's program, related to other functions, especially for the election of the parliamentary leadership. These are all topics that we want to resolve quickly... We have already sent a strong enough message with the signatures of 41 deputies. We are going in the right direction, I expect good news", Mandic said.

Already today, the President of the State Đukanović (DPS) will start consultations with the parties about the mandate, which, according to the constitutional deadlines, he should propose by September 19.

The head of state will first, as announced by his cabinet, talk with representatives of DPS, DF and Democrats.

The Constitution does not stipulate what happens if the mandate holder is not nominated, but it is certain that this would lead to extraordinary elections, which can only be called if the Assembly is dissolved or its mandate is shortened.

If Đukanović nominates a representative and if he is not elected within 90 days, the parliament will be dissolved. In that case, Đukanović will call for elections the next day after the dissolution of the Assembly.

In recent days, the president of the country has announced on several occasions that "there is no mood" in the parliament to form a new government and that it is more realistic to organize elections.

The priorities are the fight against corruption, crime and blocking the return of the DPS

The agreement, which was signed on September 2 at the proposal of the DF, states, among other things, that the principles of cooperation of the "old majority" are based on respecting the electoral will of the citizens expressed in the elections, and the goals remain the fight against corruption and organized crime and preventing any return of the DPS to power.

The new government, as written in the document, would remain committed to European integration, regional cooperation, as well as respect for all internationally assumed obligations of the state.

A joint approach to solving the issue of the election of members of the Judicial Council, judges of the Constitutional Court and the supreme state prosecutor is envisaged, with the initiation of "intense dialogue with the parliamentary opposition with the aim of creating the widest possible consensus". "The government and the parliamentary majority express their willingness to put a moratorium on all identity issues that divide society or on which it is not possible to reach a broader social consensus at this time, concluding with the parliamentary elections," the agreement reads.