The current course of the campaign for the elections in Podgorica has been characterized by the misuse of public resources by the parties in the local government and the majority of political entities that make up the government at the state level, and the silence of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (ASK).
This was assessed by the executive director of the Center for Democratic Transition (CDT), Dragan Koprivica.
He said that in the campaign for local elections, tax and fiscal reforms implemented at the state level, tendering for the conceptual design of the bypass around Podgorica, appropriation of facade reconstructions were imposed as key topics.
Koprivica, as reported by the CDT, added that the key topics in the campaign are the opening of mobile markets, and promises to help citizens with road infrastructure and lighting.
"And all together represent nothing but completely obvious examples of abuse of public functions and public resources in order to create an institutional advantage in the elections," Koprivica believes.
According to him, an important feature of the campaign so far is the indecision of the KAS, which has so far failed to sanction completely clear and unambiguous violations of the law.
"According to the general atmosphere, the campaign is more dominantly focused on the impact of the election on the stability of the Government, and less on solving the accumulated local problems of the citizens of Podgorica, although there are lists that really have local programs," said Koprivica.
According to Koprivica's assessment, the campaign for the local elections in Podgorica is based on the misuse of public resources by the political entities that make up the government at the local level and the majority of the political entities that make up the government at the state level.
"So did Prime Minister Milojko Spajić, when presenting the list "Europe now - Democrats - even stronger - prof. Dr. Saša Mujović" for the local elections in Podgorica, which he attended, said that three days after the elections, the average salary will be one thousand euros," said Koprivica.
He added that the pre-election period served as an ideal time for Mayor Olivera Injac to sign the Agreement on co-financing of works by the Capital City and the Traffic Administration, which is a step towards the realization of the construction of Vojislavljević Boulevard.
"The capital also announced an invitation to farmers to apply for a public invitation as part of the Program of Incentive Measures to Support Agriculture and Rural Development, but also announced a public invitation for champions awarding an amount of 50 euros for the beginning of the school year," said Koprivica.
He said that the joint visit of President Jakov Milatović and Deputy Mayor Luka Rakčević to the firefighters of the capital city was an example of the officials' campaign, which, he said, unofficially announced their coalition appearance in the local elections.
Koprivica said that Rakčević visited the Budućnost Women's Handball Club in the previous period, informing the public about the reconstruction of the facades with the message "let's go further!" For a better city", as their slogan for the upcoming local elections reads, emphasizing the number ten.
"And for pre-election purposes, along with the message "for our city", he also published photos from the opening of the mobile market in Zagorič," said Koprivica.
It is clear, as he added, that these are concrete examples of achieving institutional advantage and scoring political points.
Koprivica said that the abuse of institutional advantage is also shown by the example of the conversation between the executive director of the company "Putevi" Radoš Zečević and the president of the Capital City Assembly Jelena Borović Borovinić, who is also the holder of the "City of all of us" list, with citizens during party tours of certain parts of the city.
"It is a concrete promise to solve problems related to the reconstruction of the street where citizens live and whose unresolved problems are being misused in the campaign," said Koprivica.
He believes that the decision of the Capital City on free public transport, on the basis of which free transport was provided for all users of the lines managed by the local public company Putevi, was singled out in the campaign as a blatant example of misuse of public resources for electoral purposes.
Such a decision, he said, represents a direct violation of the Law on Financing Political Entities and Election Campaigns.
"Which explicitly prohibits subsidizing the payment of utility services provided by companies whose founder and/or full or partial owner is the state or local self-government unit, in the period from the announcement to two months after determining the final election results," said Koprivica.
He reminded that ASK initially gave a positive opinion and then revised its position and said that the procedure to determine whether there was a violation of the law regarding the decision on free transportation is underway.
"If the decision in this procedure is not made before the day of the election, then it no longer makes any sense because it will allow illegal behavior to be rewarded," said Koprivica.
He said that in previous years, ASK persisted in belated reactions, avoiding confrontation with the holders of political power, and thus making the application of the law meaningless.
"Proceedings in the current elections will be a clear indicator of whether something has really changed," said Koprivica.
He also problematized the fact that the campaign is led by high state officials, putting public functions at the service of individual electoral lists.
Koprivica pointed out that the holder of the list "For a better Podgorica - Jakov Milatović" is the President of Montenegro, who cannot be a councilor or mayor, nor does he intend to do so.
"Milatović also uses other appearances in the capacity of president and organizes events for the purpose of the election campaign, which fulfills the classic definition of an official campaign," said Koprivica.
According to him, the ease with which the function of the president of the state was put into the service of moderator for the candidate for mayor of one election list in the election videos is worrying.
Koprivica said that the newspaper "Europe now - Democrats - even stronger - prof. Dr. Saša Mujović" is led by the current minister of energy who is not a candidate for councilor, who publicly promises to be mayor.
"There are as many as five ministers in the Government on this list, who cannot be councilors or local officials, unless they resign from their ministerial positions. The Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister are actively participating in the campaign of this list," added Koprivica.
He stated that a large number of state and local officials, deputies, as well as civil servants and state employees are on the election lists.
This, he said, can be an indicator that the parties do not have enough good and dedicated personnel to deal with local problems and development.
"However, it is particularly worrying that on the lists for local elections we see officials and officials who cover important professional functions in public administration, and who should be an example and guarantee of neutrality and professionalism of public administration. The border between the state and the party has become invisible," said Koprivica.
He said that the campaign is characterized by the inflation of pre-election promises, most often without detailed explanations of how they will be fulfilled, in what time frame and most importantly - from which funds.
Koprivica said that the question remains as to whether and to what extent the grandiose plans will be fulfilled and whether their realization will perhaps require some additional burdens for citizens through tax increases or borrowing.
"And of course, the key question is who will bear the responsibility if the pre-election promises are not fulfilled," Koprivica added.
He said that the Serbian Orthodox Church continued to take sides in these elections, adding that Metropolitan Joanikije of Montenegro and the Littoral praised Minister Mujović as a "true Christian" who regularly attends church activities.
"This public appearance from an address of great social impact cannot be interpreted in the pre-election period as anything other than interference in the elections," Koprivica believes.
He said that it is indicative that immediately before the local elections in Podgorica, the culmination related to the erection of the monument to the former Montenegrin coastal metropolitan Amfilohi took place.
Koprivica said that in the previous period, CDT received confirmations from several independent sources in Serbia that local officials and activists of the Serbian People's Party from their cities are conducting a "safe voice" campaign in favor of a coalition participating in the elections.
He said that SNS activists are contacting Serbian citizens with Montenegrin connections and asking them for names and contacts of "safe voters".
Koprivica called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to formally express a protest to the Serbian authorities due to this kind of interference in the election processes in Montenegro in a diplomatic communication.
He problematized the fact that none of these things are adequately regulated or prohibited, "either the prescribed prohibitions are so meaningless that they cannot be applied, or the competent institutions are so servile that they must not even dare to apply them."
Koprivica reminded that the electoral reform is still pending, trapped by the blackmail of political actors who are comfortable with this state of affairs.
"And it suits everyone while they are in power, they will remember the change only from the opposition, when access to the exploitation of public resources for narrow party interests disappears", said Koprivica.
Bonus video:
