The Coalition "For the Future of Montenegro" (ZBCG) will not condition the possible support for the election of the Supreme State Prosecutor (VDT) on the reconstruction of the Government Milojko Spajić.
"Vijesta" was told unofficially by sources from the top of one of the constituent parties of that coalition, commenting on speculations that the ZBCG will allegedly not vote for the election of the head of the prosecution if a staff "refresh" of the executive power is not agreed upon.
One source claims that there is no truth in those stories, and another that there is no conditioning of that type.
The interlocutor says that ZBCG officials started the story about the reconstruction because the parliament quickly filled some of the key positions in the judiciary (election of the seventh judge of the Constitutional Court and three members of the Judicial Council), which, he says, was the priority of the parliamentary majority. That is why ZBCG, he adds, think there are no obstacles to discussing the expansion of Spajić's cabinet.
Recalling that the coalition agreement on power foresees reconstruction until the end of 2024, the same source says that this does not mean that it must be done at the end of that year, but that it is possible even earlier.
The ZBCG announced last weekend that the reconstruction should take place after the New Year holidays, a few months after that or in the first half of 2024. They emphasize that they do not see why they should not get the opportunity to contribute through the reconstruction to "solving all the challenges facing the 44th. Government".
"Vijesti" announced yesterday that PES unofficially said that there was no talk of reconstruction with ZBCG, but that it is certain during 2024, when, as explained by the interlocutor from the top of that party, all the constituents of the parliamentary of the majority, based on the coalition agreement. ZBCG unofficially said that until the weekend there were no talks with PES about "refreshing" Spajić's cabinet, which was elected less than two months ago, and that the messages about reconstruction represent "testing", but possibly some kind of pressure.
In political circles, after the ZBCG's position on reconstruction, the most common question is - why are they mentioning this process now. Some interlocutors of "Vijesti" connect this with the upcoming second round of voting for VDT, recalling the situation from last year, when the election of some people to judicial positions was conditioned by the Government's signing of the Basic Agreement with the Serbian Orthodox Church, which happened in early August and years. In September, one member of the Judicial Council was elected, and in February of the following year, three judges of the Constitutional Court were elected.
The VDT will be decided at the end of January at the earliest, and will be chosen from among all candidates who meet the legal requirements. Except Maje Jovanovic, which did not receive the necessary support in the first round of voting held last week, these are still Milorad Marković i Suzana Mugoša, and the election requires a three-fifths majority - the votes of 49 parliamentarians. As things stand now, Marković has the best chance for election.
Constituents of ZBCG, New Serbian Democracy (NSD) Andrije Mandić and Democratic People's Party (DNP) Milan Knežević, do not have a unified position on the issue of VDT. While the NSD say that Marković is a good choice, the DNP point out that they will not support any candidate, not even Marković, until he declares himself on the "coup d'état" case, in which Mandić, Knežević and some other members of the ZBCG are on trial. for attempted terrorism on the day of the parliamentary elections in 2016.
The coalition agreement on government stipulates that ZBCG will receive five seats in the Government after the reconstruction. The vice-presidential post for infrastructure, as well as the departments of transport, education, tourism and spatial planning and urbanism, are intended for that association. Those departments are now part of wider ministries, which means that, if there is a reconstruction, they will have to be separated from them.
The document says that the reconstruction is planned until the budget for 2025 is voted at the latest, which should mean by the end of next year. It was stated that, "in accordance with the consistent and complete observance of all provisions of the agreement", the Prime Minister undertakes to implement it.
Until it arrives, the constituents of ZBCG will propose "in order to make the transition of the department as simple as possible" the state secretaries in the ministries that they should receive. The state secretaries from that coalition are Dragan Bojović (Ministry of Education), Aleksandar Sekulic (Ministry of Health) i Zoran Djukic (Ministry of Transport). All three are representatives of DNP.
Spajić's government currently has 19 ministries and 23 members. If there is a reconstruction, it will have 23 ministries and 28 members.
Zogović: We will also listen to Marković and Mugoš
President of the Parliamentary Committee for Political System, Judiciary and Administration, Milun Zogović (DNP), told "Vijesti" that this body is obliged to listen to the remaining two candidates for VDT after Maja Jovanović.
"So that the Assembly could decide on all three candidates at the earliest one month after the first round of voting and potentially elect VDT if someone gets three-fifths support," Zogović stated, adding that the hearing of Marković and Mugoša will be held "in accordance with the aforementioned deadlines".
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