Čarapić: Uncertain formation of government in Budva

The Europe Now Movement (PES) will participate in the government in Budva only if it contributes to political stability, said the head of the PES parliamentary club Vasilije Čarapić, stating that the formation of the government in that city is uncertain.

Čarapić told the MINA agency that PES has not yet participated in the negotiations regarding the formation of the government in Budva.

"The elections in Budva showed that it will not be easy to form a local government. The election result is such that the cards were mixed up, but not in such a way as to enable political stability after the crisis, so I think that we have entered from one crisis to another," said Čarapić.

He stated that the PES in Budva will participate in the government only if it contributes to political stability "but the current situation is not promising".

Answering the question which of the options, that is, the coalition that emerged from the former Democratic Front, is closer to PES, Čarapić replied that the people who ran the campaign can better assess that.

"Although it is natural that we gravitate towards whoever is our coalition partner, we do not see that any of those two parties guarantee any stability," said Čarapić.

He said that the formation of the government is very uncertain.

"And I openly say that it may be more certain to go to new elections. We will be constructive if a model for stability is found, if not, we should not run away from new elections if they are necessary to submit tickets in some other way", said Čarapić.

Commenting on the opinion of a part of the public that the holder of the PES list in Budva, Predrag Zenović, who is also the chief negotiator of Montenegro with the European Union (EU), is derogated from running at the local level, Čarapić said that this is not true.

"I think it is very brave for someone who holds a public office to return to local government and do something for his city. The comments that he was derogated from are incorrect and malicious, because he is a man who has done a lot for Montenegro," said Čarapić.

According to his words, Zenović will certainly bring the country into the EU.

"And we think that he could have emancipated Budva in another way. Our story is authentic and we hope that when the next elections are held, the citizens will believe in us," Čarapić added.

Commenting on the letter sent by PES, "For the future of Andrijevica" and the civic lists "For the future of our children" and "Vasojevićki pokret uježenja" to the Socialist People's Party and the Democrats, Čarapić said that it was an affirmative step.

"And we are going to send a signal to the structure that received the most mandate to form the government," Čarapić added.

According to him, it is expected that the government will be formed in Andrijevica.

"We can talk about the fact that if the government is formed, it can be stable. We need to assess whether the stability is sustainable in the long term, whether it will last for four years, whether that coalition will work for the interests of the citizens, and if it doesn't, you shouldn't run away from new elections either," said Čarapić.

Commenting on the position of "For the future of our children" and the "Vasojević unification movement", that the SNP and the Democrats cannot have a municipal president, Čarapić said that those two lists expressed the position "and without them there is no government".

"I would say that this is the initial negotiation condition, we will see if they will persist in it or not, in any case it is a message for the other side - that if they want a coalition, they will have to make some concessions," said Čarapić.

Speaking about the solution to the crisis in the capital, Čarapić said that PES did not cause it.

Čarapić said that PES gave context to that crisis, and that is not a bad job of the administration.

"The context is that (Jakov) Milatović, perhaps with (Dritan) Abazović and some other partners, wants to destabilize Podgorica, to harm PES and create a legitimate basis for seeking elections at the state level, that is, to break the coalition that governs state level", believes Čarapić.

According to his assessment, even if that happens, the situation will be similar to the one in Budva.

"The context for the next election process is bad. We will come to the point that we have to talk to each other and come to an agreement, and it will only be more difficult to do what was relatively easy to do after the overthrow of the Democratic Party of Socialists in Podgorica", said Čarapić.

He believes that now the motivation for coalition is small.

"And I don't know what someone's goal is. I think it's just revenge. I invite all those who think in the public interest to put aside their particular needs to position themselves politically, because it is not in the interest of the citizens", Čarapić concluded.