Although on the eve of the recent presidential elections the officials of the coalition "For the Future of Montenegro" (ZBCG) uttered conciliatory slogans, making a departure from the long-standing nationalist rhetoric by which they were recognized, at the end of the campaign for the upcoming national elections, they returned to the previous harsh messages, which they times so far raised political tensions in the country.
Instead of overcoming divisions and reconciliation, which the leader of the New Serbian Democracy (Nova) promoted in the presidential campaign Andrija Mandic, now there is more talk about Kosovo, the annulment of its recognition, tricolors... These are not the dominant messages in the campaign, but there are more and more of them as the election date approaches (June 11).
The most recent example is last week's request from the leader of Pljevlja Daria Vraneš (New) that Serbian tricolors be displayed on all buildings of public institutions and businesses in that municipality, as well as an announcement that in the future that city will not be decorated with state flags on the occasion of Independence Day, May 21.
A day earlier, the ZBCG coalition organized a rally in Nikšić in support of the Kosovo Serbs, from which he is the holder of the election list of that alliance and the head of the Democratic People's Party (DNP). Milan Knezevic said that no one would threaten the Serbs with "persecutions, pogroms and tractors". President of Nikšić Municipality Marko Kovacevic (Nova) then rejected the claims that they gathered for the sake of gaining political points, saying that they did it "because of their responsibility to history".
One of the examples is also last week's initiative of ZBCG councilors in Zeta to remove the president of the parliament there Luka Krstović (Democrats), because he scheduled the debate on their proposal for a declaration on the annulment of the decision on the recognition of Kosovo on the territory of that municipality for election day (June 11). Some analysts called the draft declaration pre-election marketing.
The presence of Knežević and Mandić at the end of May at the meeting "Serbia of Hope" in Belgrade, organized by the Serbian Progressive Party, which until recently was headed by the President of Serbia, could be considered a return of ZBCG to "factory settings". Aleksandar Vučić. Knežević spoke at the gathering saying that there are those in Montenegro who will never recognize the "fake state of Kosovo", and that if he becomes prime minister, he would first withdraw the recognition of Kosovo's independence.
Civic activist Stefan Djukic, he told "Vijesti" that he is sure that the idea of the ZBCG coalition, which in addition to Nova and DNP also includes the Workers' Party, was to continue with the "conciliatory" story from the presidential campaign, and that, like other political actors, he is talking about social problems, salaries, pensions, social housing...
He explains that Mandić's campaign was only an introduction and that at the beginning those promises were in that manner, but that the "reduction" of the coalition, from which the Socialist People's Party (SNP), the Movement for Change (PzP) emerged in relation to the 2020 elections ) and some smaller parties, probably shows a significant decrease in support and its "spilling" to other factors.
"Not only did the Europe Now Movement (PES) take a lot of voters, but the 'truncated Democratic Front (DF)' is also being attacked by the coalition Dejan Vukšić i Marko Milačić ('People's Coalition') and a list of approx Vladimir Leposavić ('Justice for All'). All of this probably set off an 'alarm' and made it possible to try to increase support before the end of the campaign with the old proven methods", Đukić assesses, adding that Nova and the DNP would remain out of power in another cycle, and if Leposavić and /or Vukšić-Milačić, marginalized the parties of Mandić and Knežević despite holding some local governments.
The ZBCG coalition did not answer to "Vijesta" why the conciliatory messages that Mandić sent are not the focus of this campaign, and whether they returned to polarizing topics because they bring more votes.
The leader of Nova, who did not make it to the second round of the presidential elections, said that "we have been guided by our divisions for too long" and that he would do everything "to reconcile".
"To overcome former divisions through reconciliation. We can turn the story around, put the past aside, look forward. There are many things we can work on together. Montenegro's way is to create new jobs, to bring back children from abroad, this country can be rich and happy. That is the program I would advocate", he stated, saying that he regretted the harsh rhetoric.
Nova and the DNP remaining out of power in another cycle, and if Leposavić and/or Vukšić-Milačić eventually enter it, would marginalize the parties of Mandić and Knežević, despite the fact that they hold some local governments," Đukić points out.
In the campaign, the ZBCG coalition, like the other largest parties and alliances, mainly deals with economic issues. They promise, among other things, that they will return the workers a hot meal, transportation, holiday pay and winter pay based on the wages they receive, and that they will thus receive a 13 percent higher salary.
They also say that they will open two factories in the north of Montenegro with Serbia, to talk with large Chinese companies about important infrastructure projects, such as the completion of the highway, the construction of two hydroelectric plants, the reconstruction of the railroad...
"At the end of the year, each worker will receive 225 euros for winter leave and 225 euros for holiday pay. We will align pensions with salaries along with the growth of net earnings, and this will mean an increase of 20 percent. All those who have passed the age of 61 and do not have enough years of service, when they reach the age of 67, we will introduce a lifelong old-age benefit in the amount of half of the minimum pension... We will strengthen the housing-solidarity fund, and that those who have wronged their workers and they did not pay taxes and contributions, they are criminally liable", said Knežević.
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