The decision to introduce compulsory administration in Savnik could create a precedent according to which the government could dissolve the municipal assemblies (SO) when it does not like their decisions, said Milica Kovačević, program director of the Center for Democratic Transition (CDT).
Kovačević said that the Government's decision on the introduction of forced administration in Savnik will probably be the subject of special analyses.
This, as she stated, is justified because it is questionable whether SO Savnik could have done something more, in accordance with the law, than dissolving the Municipal Election Commission and forming a new one that would complete the election process.
According to Kovačević, it has been clear for a long time that the mandate of the councilors of SO Šavnik has long since expired and that the legitimacy of that institution has been seriously undermined.
"It is also true that there is no other institution of representative democracy in Šavnik, apart from this SO," Kovačević added.
She said that they are worried that such a decision could in the future create a precedent according to which the Government will be able to dissolve the SO when they don't like their decisions.
Kovačević also questioned the fact that the election process "which will not end with the calling of new elections" has been started in Šavnik.
"Therefore, the question is whether we will have two parallel election processes in Šavnik, which would be contrary to all postulates of the rule of law," said Kovačević.
The question, as she said, is whether the decision-makers discussed and consulted about this.
"And do they have a sustainable legal solution that would end the electoral process that had begun and lead us out of this legal situation, will they openly communicate the decisions with the citizens, including their consequences, or will we listen to excuses that they did everything in accordance with the law", Kovačević said.
CDT, as she added, does not need to be specially explained how important it is to enable citizens to go to free elections and choose their democratic representatives.
"However, one should know that democracy is protected by procedure and that, both for the citizens of Šavnik and for democracy in Montenegro, it is of the greatest possible importance that this situation be ended in a legal procedure and in accordance with the procedures, so that it does not leave room for further disputes and subsequent interpretations", Kovačević concluded
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