The fact that the parties put on the lists for local elections people whom the public recognizes for their functions at the state level also speaks of the lack of party infrastructure at the local level, which, if it is really strong, would have to produce a cadre well-known and capable of producing a good election result.
With these words, the sociologist and program director of the non-governmental organization Center for Civic Education (CGO) Petar Djukanovic, comments on the fact that the lists of certain parties, that is, coalitions for the upcoming elections in Podgorica, will also include ministers who cannot take up positions in the local government (due to the incompatibility of functions), except in the case of leaving the state seats.
This is not the first case of political actors tailoring lists in this way, as it happened on several occasions in previous years, during different election cycles at the local level. This was done, among others, by the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) and the Social Democrats (SD) in 2018 in the elections in Podgorica, the Citizens' Movement (GP) URA and the Socialist People's Party (SNP) in 2022, also in the elections in the capital, the Bosniak Party (BS) in 2014 in the elections in Rožaje...
Last night, the Europe Now Movement (PES) and Democratic Montenegro (Democrats), which will participate in the elections scheduled for September 29, submitted such a list, which will include several ministers, to the Election Commission of the capital. The list of their candidates for councilors includes the Minister of Police Danilo Šaranović (Democrats), Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorcevic (PES), ministar pravda Bojan Božović (PES), Minister of Health Vojislav Šimun (PES), Minister of Maritime Affairs Filip Radulović, while the holder of the list, who is not on it, is the Minister of Energy Saša Mujović (PES).
Reminding that there are no formal-legal obstacles for the officials of the executive power to be on local lists and that this is a long-established practice, Đukanović assesses that there are good and bad sides to it, "depending on which angle you look at it".
He states that this practice is good for the parties, because, he says, they gain the visibility and persuasiveness of the campaign, which, he adds, can consequently lead to greater motivation of citizens to vote, "since this symbolically gives greater importance to local elections."
On the other hand, according to him, this practice can also be seen as part of the mosaic of official campaigns, when state functions are consciously used to gain party points, i.e. for narrow party interests.
"Ministers, if they are really dedicated to their work, have enough obligations in the domain of public interest, and they are distracted from it by this. In addition, with such engagement, the perception of their impartiality and professional performance of their functions for the benefit of all citizens is lost. Also, and this is the least thought about in the parties - this narrows the space for the promotion and action of local leaders, who should stand out with solutions for the local level", said Đukanović to "Vijesta".
Asked if parties should "boast" on the results of some other people and not ministers, who deal with issues at the state level, the interlocutor replied that it would be the best option for citizens if local parties were determined and led at that level. However, he notes that the case of Podgorica is specific for several reasons, starting with, he says, that more than a quarter of the voters live there and that it represents the most representative sample for party ratings at the state level, "which is why it always receives special attention."
"The fact that the party is running for local elections with people who are recognized for their work at the state level also indicates the lack of party infrastructure at the local level, which, if it is really strong enough, will be able to produce people who are sufficiently recognized and capacitated to achieve a good result in the elections", said Đukanović.
"Vijesti" asked PES and the Democrats why there are ministers on their list if they cannot hold city functions unless they resign from the government, and whether they think they are misleading the voters.
PES did not respond to the inquiry that was sent to them by e-mail, but Saša Mujović said last night, after handing over the list, in response to a question from the "Vijesti" journalist, that he is the holder "not to sit on two chairs, but to became mayor".
"Our wish is to show unity, that the ministers supported the idea of making Podgorica better. They will return to ministerial positions, but we are sending a message that they are interested," he said.
The Democrats replied to "Vijesta" that it is neither the first nor the last time that candidates who hold other positions are on the list, and that it has happened countless times.
"It is completely natural that someone who was the deputy mayor (Šaranović), the leader of the activities of the Democrats in Podgorica and the leader of the local electoral list of the Democrats, is on the list, because the minister is also a party functionary. On the other hand, numerous other officials from the state level are not on the list, but have given up their seats to other candidates", said the spokesperson of the Democrats. Mitar Paunović.
He added that it is not logical for "the holder of the electoral list to be the president of the state".
"What happened after Milo Đukanović, repeated i Jakov Milatović", stated Paunović.
Formally and legally, according to the Law on the Election of Councilors and Members of Parliament, the holder is the person specified in the name of the list.
Milatović's name is in the name of the list "For a better Podgorica", which is made up of his close Movement for Podgorica (PzPG), Civic Movement (GP) URA and Movement for Change (PzP), whose holder is an official of GP URA Luka Rakcevic. The head of state did not answer the questions of "Vijesti" about why his name is in the title if he cannot, except in the case of resignation, hold city functions, and whether he thinks that he is misleading the citizens in this way.
In the name of the BS list is the name of the leader of that party, i.e. the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ervin Ibrahimović.
Petar Đukanović says that part of the coalition "For a better Podgorica" Milatović is close to PzPG, and that it seems that part of the agreement is that "everyone invests something", and that the president's contribution is his name behind the list. He assesses that the voters there "can hardly have any 'delusions', because it is clear to everyone that the president will not go from the national to the local level".
"Instead, it is about political support for promotional purposes, in contrast to the cases when the lists bear the name of a candidate on the list, who, in the end, has no intention of assuming the office that may follow him. "Unfortunately, this is something that is still a matter of personal and political responsibility of these people, and what the voters should be the judge of", states the interlocutor.
Last night, the deadline for submitting ballots for the elections in the capital city expired, and so far six of them have been confirmed - the "Forward" movement, the European Union, the former Minister of Justice Andrej Milović, the European Progress Party of the former prime minister Duško Marković, Milatović's coalition, and the Montenegrin Civil Action list.
Seven more lists were submitted, the confirmation of which has yet to be decided. These are the lists of Preokret, Montenegrin European Party, DPS, Tenant Movement, Bosniak Party, PES-Democrat coalition, as well as the list led by the parties of the former Democratic Front - "For the future of Podgorica".
Albanian parties will not participate in the elections.
Đukanović: There were transfers from high state positions to local ones
When asked if the parties are deceiving the voters if they put people on the list who are likely not to hold local positions, Đukanović answers that it does not necessarily mean that these people will not take up positions in the municipalities if they are able.
He recalls that there were examples of "local patriotism prevailing" in some cases.
"Therefore, in the period when the ASK (Agency for the Prevention of Corruption) considered these functions incompatible, we had a large number of resignations from parliamentary positions, even from some recognizable profiles, so that these people could take over or continue running the municipalities," says the program director. CGO.
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