Vukčević: I will work as before

As before, I will do everything that is in accordance with the Constitution and the law so that the election process in Podgorica is carried out to the end.

This, among other things, was told to "Vijesti" by the president of the Election Commission (IC) of the Capital City Veselin Vukcevic, not answering directly to the question of whether he will schedule a session of that body, allow the amendment of the agenda with the item on determining the final results of the elections and enable their signing and certification.

IC members from the ranks of the election winners, who adopted the results on Friday after Vukčević closed the session, announced that due to the latest decisions of the State Election Commission (SEC), they will ask for the continuation of the session and confirmation of the results.

On Saturday, the SEC instructed Vukčević that he is obliged to allow a member to propose an amendment to the agenda after the opening of the session, and to allow the continuation of the session if the amendment is approved, and to enable the signing and certification with a seal of all acts adopted by the majority.

Vukčević closed the session citing as the reason that the members will not express themselves about the objections that are on the agenda. He previously refused several of their requests to state the agenda, because he claims that the IC cannot declare the results, since the Constitutional Court (US), as the last instance in election disputes, has not ruled on appeals.

He and members of the IC from the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) left the session, after which the representatives of the winners decided to continue it, appointing a chairman, to then supplement the agenda and determine the results.

Stating that the SEC gave several opinions ten days ago that the results cannot be determined before the US decides on the appeals, Vukčević says that such a position is based on the provisions of the Law on the Election of Deputies and Members of Parliament, and that he will respect it.

"Just as I will respect the order from the decision to sign and certify the acts adopted by the Commission by a majority of votes in accordance with the Law and the Rules of Procedure (on the work of the IC). The law on the election of councilors and deputies also stipulates that the municipal election commission ensures the legal conduct of elections. Related to this is the issue of convening and holding Commission sessions and the materials that can be discussed at the sessions. In the Rules of Procedure, it is stated that the President of the Commission takes care of the proper application of the Rules of Procedure", Vukčević pointed out.

While the winners are waiting for the continuation of the session of the IC, the deadlines for the publication of the results, which some of the members, delivered to them without a stamp on Friday afternoon, are running out. Vukčević informed the director of that institution on Sunday Danijela Pavićević that he did not issue an order for the publication of the results, warning that withdrawing that move would have unforeseeable consequences in terms of criminal liability.

Pavićević told "Vijesta" two days ago that there is no need for anyone to warn her about compliance with the law, and that it is not up to her to decide whether something will be published, but to confirm whether the legal procedure has been followed.

Asked whether he expects the Official Gazette to publish the results, despite his warning, Vukčević replied that it is the general duty of all entities in the state to comply with the Constitution and the law, and that everyone has the right to decide according to that obligation at their own discretion.

He says that if individual members of the IC submitted an act that was not adopted in the manner prescribed by law, and then not even signed and certified by the president of the IC, it cannot be considered legally valid.

"This means that such an act cannot produce legal consequences, except those for its bearers, so it cannot even be published. Another reason why that act should not be published is that the order for the publication of adopted acts is given by the President of the Commission", explains Vukčević.

When asked what the status is Stanke Nedović in IC, which was on the premises of that institution in a neighborhood in Podgorica on Friday and which, according to the claims of some of the members, refused to submit and certify the results, and whether the statements of some media outlets that she and her husband live in a part of official premises, Vukčević says that it is incorrect that the Nedovićs live in the IK premises.

It states that Mijodrag Nedović For almost 30 years, he has been working as the technical secretary of the IC, while his wife was engaged in administrative and technical work in the IC during the implementation of local elections.

"Since the session of the Commission was held on December 2nd in the premises of the Assembly of the Capital City, the seal and stamp were with the President of the Commission. This means that no one else had the authority to receive, file or stamp any documents submitted to the Commission, especially not to stamp decisions made by unauthorized persons. The intrusion that these persons made into the premises of the Election Commission and the unauthorized recording will be the subject of a special procedure with the competent authorities", said Vukčević.

In the elections in Podgorica held on October 23, the list "Svi za naš grad", led by DPS, won 24 mandates, the Europe Now Movement 13, the coalition gathered around the Democratic Front (DF) 11, the Democrats six and the Civic Movement (GP). Hooray for four. The Socialist People's Party, Preokret and Svetosavska are without mandates.

PES, DF, Democrats and GP URA have started negotiations on the formation of the government in Podgorica, which will send DPS into opposition in the capital after 24 years.

The Administrative Court rejected the lawsuit due to the election of Vuković

Yesterday, the Administrative Court rejected the lawsuit of Vasilij Čarapić, an official of the Europe Now Movement, who requested the annulment of the decision by which Ivan Vuković was elected mayor of Podgorica on October 20. The court clarified that the right to initiate an administrative dispute in such a case would belong to the club of councilors in the city assembly, and not to the citizen.

On October 19, the Administrative Court annulled the decision of the Assembly of the Capital City by which Vuković was re-elected to office on July 5, before the end of his mandate, on the complaint of the Democrats. The Assembly, however, re-elected him on October 20. Reacting to the rejection of the lawsuit, Vuković wrote on Facebook that he does not expect an apology "for the ill-mannered attacks of (the PES list holder) Jakov Milatović and others like him", which he said he had been exposed to for weeks.

He said that he expects a US judge to be elected on December 12, and stated that this will provide an opportunity to constitute a new convocation of the city parliament and elect a new mayor.

PES official Maida Gorčević assessed that Vuković "autocratically defies the electoral will".