President of Montenegro Jakov Milatovic announced yesterday the extraordinary local elections in Podgorica for September 29, which means that citizens will follow the election campaign and new political promises in the middle of the summer tourist season.
He announced that when setting the date, he had in mind, in addition to legal deadlines, reasons of rationality and the fact that elections will be held in Kotor on the same day.
"I wish all the participants in the upcoming election process a successful and fair campaign, and I wish the citizens of Podgorica to get a government that will ensure the dynamic development of the capital," he said.
The elections were called after the Podgorica parliament was dissolved on Wednesday by the votes of the opposition, the Movement for Podgorica close to Milatović, the Citizens' Movement (GP) URA and one councilor from the Movement for Change (PzP). The outgoing government in Podgorica, elected in April last year, consists of the Europe Now Movement (PES), a coalition around the former Democratic Front (DF), Democrats and GP URA.
Yesterday, PES accused Milatović, their former official and one of the founders of that party, of having arranged with the opposition the overthrow of the government in Podgorica, "but also the whole scenario according to which it is necessary to hold elections before the implementation of the Europe Now 2 program".
"...The entire campaign will be conducted in the middle of the season, all because of the fear of the undoubted implementation of the program that (Milatović) and his new political allies said did not exist," said the PES deputy Drazen Petrić.
"Vijesti" announced yesterday that the list of the former Minister of Justice would Andrej Milović, a movement that should soon be presented to the public by his predecessor in the ministerial position Marko Kovač, the Party of European Progress of the former prime minister Duško Marković and the movement "Preokret" should have performed independently in Podgorica.
Other political actors announced that they should soon determine how they will go about the elections.
A source from PES said that the party did not discuss how it will go to the polls and who will lead it in Podgorica. It is speculated that PES could form a coalition with the Democrats and the parties of the former DF. "Vijesti" has unofficially learned that the most serious candidate for the PES list is the president of the party's Podgorica committee and the minister of energy. Saša Mujović.
The Democrats unofficially say that there was no talk of cooperation with PES, and that "no one mentioned it". The former DF claim that there were no discussions about the performance method.
When it comes to the GP URA, "Vijesti" announced on Thursday that that party and the Movement for Podgorica held informal talks about a joint appearance, possibly with the PzP. The options are for the list to be headed by a non-party figure, which is represented by councilors close to Milatović, or for the list to be headed by the deputy mayor. Luka Rakcevic (GP URA). When asked how they plan to go to the elections and who, if they go alone, could lead them, a source from GP URA said that Rakčević is "the holder of the list" and that this is "all they have as a decision for now".
As for the DPS, that party, as the "Vijesti" source said, should define exit models at the beginning of August. The interlocutor announced that he is their representative in the state parliament and the president of the party's Podgorica committee Nermin Abdić "one of the main favorites" to be the holder of the list.
The recently formed European Alliance, which consists of SD, SDP, LP and independent intellectuals and civil activists, will take part in the Podgorica elections. There are several names in the running for their list holder, and one of them is a deputy and official of the Social Democrats Boris Mugoša.
And CEP goes alone
The Montenegrin European Party (CEP) is planning an independent appearance in the local elections in Podgorica scheduled for September 29. The party announced yesterday that they are taking all the measures required by law to succeed in this.
"...That's why we call on Montenegrin sovereignists to support the CEP", they said.
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