The decision to remove Božović from the position of president of the Municipality of Budva was not adopted: is the government introducing forced administration?

The President of the Budva Municipal Assembly (SO) Nikola Jovanović interrupted the session of the local parliament at 23 p.m. tonight after a two-hour discussion, when Nikola Kralj, the president of the newly formed club "For the future of Budva NSD PZP", said that he would vote against the decision to remove the President of the Municipality of Budva, Milo Božović. from the function.

While the councilors of the faction led by Nikola Jovanović were talking and justifying why the decision had to be voted on, at the end of the discussion the King surprised the new club with a decision.

"There is no theoretical chance that someone would play with us like this," said Jovanović.

Previously, the councilors of the ruling majority from the ranks of the former coalition "Budva first - Milo Božović" voted unanimously tonight on the Strategic Plan of the municipality of Budva.

Previously, Božović's coalition was divided into two aldermen's clubs, one of ten aldermen "For the future of Budva NSD PZP", led by Nikola Kralj and the other "Our city, our house, our family" whose president is Mirjana Gregović, in which the president is also SO Nikola Jovanović.

Both clubs no longer have the name of Milo Božović in their names, who led them in the October local elections in 2022, when they won absolute power.

With this, after the negotiations between the two sides that took place during the afternoon, the passions calmed down to some extent, and an agreement was reached to continue the administration of the city.

With the adoption of two decisions, as the majority claim, the conditions for the Government not to introduce forced administration on Monday have been met.

The councilors of the Democratic Montenegro and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) did not attend the session, while the councilors of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) left the session before the debate began.

DPS member Maja Miljanić pointed out the illegality of the process of adopting the Strategic Plan.

"Citizens had the opportunity to see that the previous session was a party meeting of government councilors open to the public. We want to point out the illegality of the process of adopting the Strategic Plan because the deadline from Article 167 of the Law on Local Self-Government, which stipulates that the Public Debate cannot last, was not respected less than 15 days. The strategic plan is one of the most important documents for a municipality, and all structures of society should have been included in the public discussion. How do you explain the fact that you are adopting the Strategic Plan after only two days of public discussion? Did you succeed after two days of public discussion? which is your obligation: to consider all received comments, proposals or suggestions from our fellow citizens," she said.

Miljanić: Political agreement between Mandić and Spajić

Miljanić said that the councilors of the government are breaking the law in order to implement the political agreement between the President of the Parliament of Montenegro and the leader of the New Serbian Democracy (NSD) Andrije Mandić and the Prime Minister of Montenegro and the leader of the Movement for Europe (PES) Milojko Spajić.

"Once again, we warn against frivolity and violation of the law and call for a minimum of moral and political responsibility. The club of DPS councilors will within the legal deadline file a lawsuit with the Administrative Court of Montenegro in order to review the legality, as well as initiate criminal proceedings before the competent authorities. The citizens of Budva should to hear that the councilors of the government are breaking the law in order to implement the political agreement of Mandić and Spajić. Regardless, is it forced administration and buying time for political consolidation or disobeying the law at the session, which would also buy time and bury the hatchet. We expect that in within the legal deadline, schedule a session where we will make a statement regarding the initiative of a group of citizens that refers to the shortening of the mandate of the Budva Municipal Assembly. We will not give legitimacy to such a session and participate in its work," said Miljanić.

NSD member Nikola Kralj said that the fact that the two clubs separated does not mean that they have given up on the electoral goals that have been set.

"I am glad that a compromise was reached," said Kralj.

The President of the Municipal Council Nikola Jovanović said that there is a majority to continue managing the city and that the government functions at full capacity.

Ivanovic: In four hours you forgot Božovic

Ivan Ivanović (URA) said that the citizens should hear that both of them removed the name of Milo Božović from the names of the councilor clubs.

"You forgot him in four hours. I wish Jasna Dokić good luck in her work, when she has to fulfill the interest of both clubs. Is the city's strategy everything you promised and you didn't fulfill anything. You promised garages, they are not there, the return of Citadela and JRB, not even in sight, the hospital is a colorful lie, there is no promenade," said Ivanovic, who voted in favor of such a Strategic Plan.

Dokić was elected as the vice-president of the Municipality of Budva earlier today.

Jovanović immediately said that they have not given up on Božović and that they never forget their friend and that they will always support him.

He said that with the warning, the Government violated the law by giving a deadline for the adoption of the Strategic Plan.

"Very unprincipled by the Government. It sounds incredible that the Government gives a deadline of ten days to adopt a Strategic Plan knowingly violating the law," Jovanovic said and added that the Government did not warn six other local administrations that do not have strategic plans.

Chief administrator Nevenka Božović Jovović asserted that the procedure for the Strategic Plan was carried out legally.

Bojana Pićan (NSD) presented a number of shortcomings of the Strategic Plan, listing them in detail.

Ivanović: You gave up on Božović, he is your ballast

Ivan Ivanović (URA) requested a roll call vote on the decision to remove Božović from work so that the citizens could see who was voting, because his party comrades are slowly renouncing him.

He said that Božović should have resigned immediately or that the majority should have dismissed him.

"It's not the neck but the neck, you found a compromise solution, little by little you forgot about it. This is a preparation for his removal to remove the ballast of Milo Božović. That suits Andrija Mandić best. You bend your spine and play to the Government's notes," Ivanović said.

As he said, he voted for the election of Milo Božović and will vote against removing him from his job.

Rejecting claims that they renounce Božović, Jovanović said that Milo Božović is for them the president of the Municipality as long as he wants.

"We consulted with Božović twice and today we talked by phone and he proposed it. If Božović had one percent of the dilemma, I would never have proposed the decision," said Jovanović.

He pointed out that the Government was "efficient" and "on the same day it issued a warning, it was published in the Official Gazette".

He emphasized that it was the last condition that the Government had given, believing that it would not be fulfilled.

"The government did not act on principle, because no one asks the ministers how long they are out of their offices, on airplanes... The government has reduced the president of the municipality to a worker," he said and called for the presumption of Božović's innocence.

He said that it was legal nonsense in which the government got involved.

"Probably the Government thought that we would not make such a decision. We are reluctant, but we proposed such a decision," said Jovanović.

Jovanović said that the position of president awaits Božović when he is released from custody.

Milijana Đukić said that she felt bad that she had to vote.

"We are not renouncing Milo Božović," she said.

Marijana Božović said that Božović was innocently imprisoned for 11 months.

And the turn came at the end of the debate when Nikola Kralj said that the club of councilors would vote against the decision.

Jovanovic was taken aback by this and said that he had to stop the session because it meant that the government could introduce forced administration.

The deadline for making a decision on the removal of Božović from his post expires on Sunday evening, and if this does not happen, the Government will introduce forced administration.