The coalition of Bosniak Party (BS), Social Democrats (SD) and Social Democratic Party (SDP) convincingly won yesterday's elections in Gusinje, and the new government can be formed in several ways, with or without this alliance.
According to the preliminary election results, the coalition "Srcem za Gusinje" won 14 mandates in the local parliament (916 votes), the coalition of the Democratic Alliance of Albanians (DSA), the Albanian Alternative and the Democratic Union of Albanians seven (494 votes), the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) six (435 votes), the Movement for Gusinje two (157 votes), and the Democrats one mandate (109 votes).
The coalition around BS could get up to 16 seats in the local assembly, which is necessary to form the government, with the support of the Movement for Gusinje or the alliance of Albanian parties.
"Vijesti" was unofficially told by BS that they should act unitedly in negotiations with SD and SDP. According to the coalition agreement, BS received seven mandates, SD six, and SDP one.
In the event that SD and SDP decide to negotiate separately, it would be somewhat more difficult for BS to form a government, but not impossible - in that case, they would need the votes and coalitions of Albanian parties and the Movement for Gusinje.
At the moment, a possible obstacle for the cooperation of the BS with the former coalition partner, DPS, is the condition that the key actors of the government at the state level have set for the BS. On the eve of the reconstruction of the executive power in July, when BS became part of it, they said that the party should "reconsider coalition cooperation at all levels with the leading parliamentary opposition, no later than the adoption of the budget for 2025". Otherwise, they threatened to end cooperation with that opposition party.
If there is no cooperation with BS, DPS can only form a new government with the support of the alliance of Albanian parties and SD and SDP.
Yesterday DPS won 341 votes less than in the elections four years ago - then they got 776 votes.
The coalition of Albanian parties received two votes less than in 2020, while BS, SD and SDP won together almost 100 more votes than in total when the last time they went to the polls - then they had 821 votes.
BS spokesman Adel Omeragić he said last night that their coalition "Heart for Gusinje" achieved an extraordinary result.
"We won 14 mandates, twice as many as the first next list. This means that we will start negotiating the local government with other partners from tomorrow," he said.
Member of the SD Presidency Nihad Canović he said that they will be "one of the key political groups in the local parliament and one of the pillars of the new government".
"Our obligation is clear - a responsible policy that will bring concrete results," he said.
He stated that he believes that, after a successfully organized electoral process, it is in everyone's interest that unity and wisdom prevail, and that political differences be put aside.
Now, according to Canović, it is time to unite all the personnel potential of Gusinje and direct it towards the progress and prosperity of all the residents of this municipality.
The DPS municipal board announced that it offers cooperation "for post-election coalition agreements".
"We congratulate all election participants on the successfully conducted election cycle and extend a hand of cooperation for post-election coalition agreements, which is the indisputably expressed desire of the citizens of Gusinje," it was announced.
The holder of their list, Demir Bajrović, said that they are satisfied with the result of the six mandates won.
"We expect to sit down at the table and negotiate, because no one has absolute power. We have shown that we have a broad coalition capacity because we exercised power with Albanian parties and parties from the coalition around BS," he said.
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He accused the "Heart for Gusinje" coalition of abuses ahead of the elections, such as asphalting and dozens of illegal contracts.
"Despite that, we managed to achieve an excellent result, even though we are in the opposition both at the state and local level," said Bajrović.
The leader of the Democrats Aleksa Becic he said that the party achieved parliamentary status in Gusinje a month after the formation of the committee. He assessed that this is a confirmation of the civic character of that party.
"We are happy to have received the trust of the citizens of Gusinje. We have people of all faiths and nationalities and excellent projects that we will realize in cooperation with the local and state authorities. We are going to be the government in most municipalities and to keep the youth in the north," said Bečić.
The turnout in yesterday's elections was 46,03 percent, while four years ago it was slightly higher - 46,59 percent.
After those elections, the government in Gusinje was made by DPS, a coalition of Albanian parties and BS. However, a year ago there was a crisis in the government because the then president of the municipality is from DPS (Anela Čekić) dismissed two secretaries from BS. A reshuffle of the government followed, after which the DPS went into opposition, and the BS and Albanian parties with councilors from the SD, SDP and the Socialist People's Party (SNP) formed a new majority.
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