Enumerators are trained by politicians and their relatives

Municipalities have started to publish lists of instructors for the upcoming population census, from which it can be seen that a significant number of elected candidates are politically engaged, or are related to them.

The municipality of Nikšić is leading in this, whose census commission chose the secretary of the Nikšić Municipal Council as an instructor Ivan Šljukić (Democrats), director of the Parking service Sanju Antović, councilor of GP URA Anđel Mijanović and councilor of the New Serbian Democracy (NSD) Nikola Goranović. According to information from Vijesti, there is also Veselinka Đukanović, the daughter-in-law of a high official of the NSD Milutin Đukanović, then Ivan Koprivica, the daughter of an NSD councilor Jadranka Koprivica, Zorica Aleksic, the wife of a high-ranking NSD official Budimir Aleksić...The government in Nikšić is made up of the coalition For the Future of Nikšić (former Democratic Front with partners), Democrats and URA.

Nikola Goranović yesterday, after being called by the opposition DPS, wrote on Facebook that he would not participate in the census.

"If your excuse is not political influence, I will not take part in the census. I'll leave that technical work to someone else. I invite the others mentioned to do the same, because this list will be free and regular", he stated.

The municipal board of DPS Nikšić announced yesterday that there are young people with master's degrees, unemployed, and that instead of them, the briefing will be carried out by the secretary of the municipal assembly, "her godmother, councilor of New Serbian Democracy and employee of EPCG, son of councilor and one of the directors in EPCG, the wife of the president of the EPCG Board of Directors, as well as a daughter-in-law"...

The Municipality of Nikšić did not answer yesterday's questions about why high-ranking party officials and members of their families were chosen as instructors.

On the Facebook page of the Municipality, it was announced yesterday that the census commission determined the final list of selected candidates at yesterday's session, "after re-examination, due to the withdrawal of a certain number of candidates". 44 instructors and four reserves were selected. It is not clear which candidates "gave up".

Monstat, that is census commissions in municipalities, published a public advertisement for instructors and enumerators on September 22, and the application deadline was extended until October 9. The ad states that, among other things, priority will be given to the unemployed and those with experience in statistical research, holding trainings... It is also stated that the candidate should be an adult citizen of Montenegro, with the level of education VI, VII1, VII2 and VIII.

The presidents of the census commissions are, in accordance with the Census Law, the presidents of local governments. The population, household and apartment census will be held from November 1 to 15.

Budva also has the most instructors connected with DF

And in Budva, according to "Vijesti" information, on the list of 20 instructors, the number of them wanted in the advertisement (18 and two spares), the most people connected with the parties of the former DF that are in power in that municipality.

Two instructors are politically close to the opposition DPS, and one instructor is female Dragan Pim, a former DPS councilor, who is currently not politically active, while one instructor is close to the Europe Now Movement.

The municipality of Ulcinj published yesterday the list of selected instructors (12 and one reserve). The list also includes Milazim Mustafa, former president of the Ulicinj Municipal Assembly and former head of communal police. Mustafa was included in the indictment of the Special State Prosecutor's Office for illegal employment in the Municipality of Ulcinj.

According to information from the census commission, Mustafa was chosen because of his experience, as he was an instructor in the 2011 census.

In Mojkovac, there are three close to the DPS

Six instructors were selected in Mojkovac. Among them, according to information from Vijesti, are three who are close to the DPS (although the government has changed in Mojkovac), and among them is the former president of the SO Slavenko Blažević.

In Kolašin, as claimed by the census commission, among the 11 selected instructors, there are no recognized activists of any of the political parties, nor close relatives of local officials.

14 candidates, who meet the requirements, responded to the public advertisement for instructors, and three also applied for enumerators at the same time. Those three candidates, according to Vijesti's information, had no objections to the fact that they were not included as instructors, but will be enumerators.

According to Vijesti's information, among the people who were chosen as instructors for the census in Tivat there are completely non-partisan figures, as well as representatives or members of several parties or local civic lists, so that, politically speaking, none of the actors of the political scene has a "clear dominance" in the compositions those organs.

The mayor's chief of staff is also on the list

The census commission in Pljevlja chose 26 instructors for the census, a member of the census commission told the News. Vladan Anicic, who is also the secretary of the Municipality's Finance Secretariat.

Among others, he was chosen as an instructor Vujo Grbović who is the head of the cabinet of the President of the Municipality.

Aničić said that so far about 260 candidates have applied to be enumerators, and 232 are needed.

He claims that politics had no influence on the selection of instructors and that during the selection process the unemployed from the Labor Bureau had priority.

In Bijelo Polje, a total of 393 candidates for enumerators and instructors applied for the public advertisement, and 28 instructors plus 3 reserves and 250 enumerators plus 12 reserves were wanted.

News from the President of the Municipality and the Census Commission Petar Smolović they could not get more detailed information.

The capital city claims that the unemployed had priority

And the capital published a list with 97 instructors and ten reserve ones.

Secretary of the Secretariat for Local Self-Government and Cooperation with Civil Society Slađana Anđušić she told "Vijesti" that they did everything in accordance with the competition and that they gave priority to the unemployed and students. She rejected the possibility that the capital city commission was acting politically in any way.

According to her, 160 applications for instructors arrived at the address of the capital city.

Monstat announced yesterday that around 3.800 enumerators and 420 instructors were wanted for the whole of Montenegro.

The number of candidates for instructors has been filled and their selection has been completed, and after the extension of the enumerator advertisement, there are 4.047 candidate at the level of Montenegro. In addition, in the municipalities of Bar, Budva, Cetinje, Kolašin, Kotor, Tivat, Šavnik and Žabljak, advertisements have been extended until the number of enumerators required is met, and until October 20 at the latest, which, as announced by Monstat, does not call into question the planned trainings.

The Serbian House is recruiting enumerators?

Srđan Stanojević from Podgorica told "Vijesta" that ten days ago he received a call from an unknown number.

He claims that the interlocutor told him that he was calling from the Serbian House and offered to take part in the upcoming population census as an enumerator.

Stanojević told the interlocutor that he was already employed, but was told that it was "an opportunity to make good money", after which he ended the telephone conversation.

More citizens contacted "Vijesti", claiming that they were called with the same offer, allegedly from the Serbian House.

Yesterday, the Serbian House did not answer the question whether it was true that they invited the citizens, and if so, why and on what basis. They did not answer what the interest of the Serbian House would be in inviting citizens, if it is known that municipalities choose enumerators and instructors in a competition, as well as what work the Serbian House would hire citizens for and how much they would be paid.

Slađana Anđušić said that the Census Commission of the Capital City did not receive any information from the citizens about the alleged calls from the Serbian House.

"If this is true - it is unacceptable. I am aware that those five or six questions are very important for politicians and political parties. To count us on a national and religious basis. For me, it is more important how many young people we have in Podgorica, how many residents there are in the local communities of Brskut or Ubli, so that the city can create its policies and decisions in relation to these data", said Anđušić.

Monstat will not fulfill all the conditions of the DPS, which threatens to boycott the census

Yesterday, Monstat responded to 17 requests from DPS, which threatened to boycott the census if their conditions were not met.

On the first condition of the DPS, that the census be postponed for at least six months, Monstat said that all conditions for conducting the census have been met, that the law, regulation and methodology have been adopted...

DPS asked to fulfill the recommendations of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), which states that the census should be avoided in election years, as well as in periods of political instability.

Monstat said that the government, when defining the period of the census, was guided in accordance with UNECE recommendations and that the claim that "the electoral process cannot be considered completed until the election of a new government" does not stand.

At the request of the DPS to introduce mandatory internal and external monitoring of the census, with internal control of all opposition (especially parliamentary) parties, as well as external control by Eurostat, Monstat responded that they recognize only Eurostat monitoring.

As stated, it is acceptable for Monstat to allow representatives of political parties to participate in census commissions in the domain of obligations related to tasks of an organizational or logistical nature. They point out that in this sense, a legal act is necessary, which foresees this.

At the request of the DPS to enable the participation of opposition parties in the selection of instructors and enumerators, Monstat replied that the conditions for the selection of instructors and enumerators are stipulated in the public advertisement and that "the political affiliation of individuals is not included in the conditions of the advertisement".