Every vote for the European Union is actually a vote for the wave of retrogradation to stop, and for those political structures that continuously attack the fundamental values of contemporary and self-aware Podgorica and Montenegro to no longer be in power.
This is what the holder of the list of the European Union and a candidate for mayor in the upcoming elections in the capital told "Vijesti", Boris Mugoša.
He said in an email interview that the result of the elections scheduled for September 29 will be such that it will depend on the European Union (a coalition of the Social Democratic Party, the Social Democrats and the Liberal Party) who will manage Podgorica for the next four years.
"If the result of the election is a consequence of the everyday reactions of our fellow citizens to what we do, it can be in the double digits as a percentage," said Mugoša.
What, specifically, percentage of votes do you expect in the elections and why do you think citizens will support the European Union?
The European Union will be the backbone of the future government, and that is clear to all political competitors in these elections. This, after all, is confirmed by relevant research, as well as the incredibly positive reactions of fellow citizens to our campaign, list, concrete and achievable program solutions for numerous problems in the city. Every day we receive the support of many, and what especially encourages me is the support of a large number of abstainers from the previous elections, as well as fellow citizens who have been let down by the inaction and poor work of the parties they voted for earlier.
Our campaign is positive and focused on the needs of fellow citizens, we do not insult political competitors because decency, reason and expertise are mine and the guiding idea of the European Union.
As our slogan says, we want Podgorica to be an exemplary city, which unfortunately is not the case today. If the result of the election is a consequence of the everyday reactions of our fellow citizens to what we do, it can be a double-digit percentage. In any case, the result will be such that it will depend on the European Union who will govern the city in the next four years. This means that after September 29, Podgorica will be an exemplary city, i.e. a city of stability, security, transparency and progress.
What, in your opinion, are the key problems in Podgorica?
There are many problems in the city, and a significant part of them are the result of the incompetence, ignorance and/or bad intentions of the outgoing government. There is enough money for all projects and activities, because the capital city's annual budget is over 130 million euros (half a billion euros in four years), in addition to the fact that many projects are not only local, but also national in nature, which implies the participation of the state.
The city is dirtier than ever, impurity threatens to turn into an infection, traffic chaos has become everyday, problems with water supply in certain parts of the city are becoming more frequent; the implementation of the wastewater treatment plant project, which is one of the most important and largest infrastructural projects in the history of the capital, was completed, the construction of which would have an unequivocally positive impact on the quality of life in Podgorica; the overbooking of kindergartens and schools is becoming a serious problem, where it is necessary for the Capital City to participate financially in their construction along with the issue of extended stay of children, where we planned for the Capital City to subsidize that activity.
Of course, the priority will also be the improvement of the cultural offer, because Podgorica must be the center of cultural events, which unfortunately is not the case today; social policy must be much more focused on improving social services, that is, on those who need them the most and much more.
How, in what time frame and with how much money, if you were part of the government, would you solve the problem of urban disorder in the capital?
When it comes to preserving space as the most important resource, we have foreseen a set of concrete measures in the program. It is a moratorium, that is, a ban on construction on all elevated areas. Then the "Green Coefficient" project, which remains an integral part of the documentation required for obtaining a building permit in Podgorica, and implies that contractors, when constructing residential buildings, commercial facilities and similar facilities, will be obliged to fulfill the required quota, depending on the square footage of the facilities. greenery on the plot.
During the four-year mandate of the city government, it is planned to plant 4.000 trees on the hills in and around the city. Our plan is to activate and speed up the completion of the construction of the collector immediately after taking over the government, and that every decision in that project is exclusively based on expertise. We also planned the construction of a modern recycling center, which will enable efficient processing of different types of waste and their reuse, which will significantly reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. In parallel with that, we will work on strengthening communal services, which will be better equipped and organized, so that the streets of the city are clean and organized.
How would you solve the water supply problem in some parts of the city, such as Kakaricka gora, Lješanska nahija, part of Mali brdo...?
One of the priorities will be solving the problem of water supply for the residents of Karicka Gora, Donja Gorica, Ber, Murtovina, Lješanska nahija, etc., in order to enable them to live in conditions suitable for the 21st century.
In the campaign, among other things, you promised that, if you come to power, you will first start the construction of the boulevard towards the Old Airport, and then the construction of a new bridge near the old mill on Ribnica. Exactly how much money is needed to realize those projects and how long would it take you to complete them?
Traffic jams in Podgorica are becoming more frequent, while the lack of parking places makes the situation even more difficult. We have foreseen several strategic measures that will solve these problems.
In question is the realization of the Vojislavljević Boulevard project with a new bridge on Morača, the completion of Veljko Vlahović Boulevard and its connection with the bypass near Zetatrans and the branch of Per Ćetković Boulevard towards Konik and further towards Dinoša, the continuation of Sava Kovačević Boulevard to the Stari aerodrome (Zmaj Jovino boulevard), construction ring road connecting Donjogorica Boulevard and Nikšići Road, improvement of the road (Brskutska and Branka Ćopića Streets) that connects Vilija Brant Boulevard and the main street in Zagorič - Nikola Tesla Street, realization of the junction of Konika, Stari aerodrome and Maslin (junction of Medunska and Goca Delčeva Streets) in such a way as to widen the pedestrian bridge (across the Ribnica) near the old mill and for vehicle traffic and thus avoid circling through the Masline barracks.
It is also necessary to reconstruct AVNOJa Street, 8. Marta Street from Krivi most to Vojislavljević Street, as well as to create a link between Ilija Plamenca Street and Vojislavljević Street. It should also be considered that, due to the crowding at the roundabout in the Siti quarter, a pedestrian walkway or an underground passage with commercial facilities should be built. In addition, we will improve the maintenance of the local road network.
When it comes to parking lots, we will implement the concept of underground garages, not ordinary garages, but garages as multi-functional facilities where there will be parks, sports and recreational fields on the surface. It is a concept that has taken root in many developed cities. The locations in question are: Independence Square, Balšić Square, Božane Vučinić Square, Blocks 5 and 9, City Quarter, part of the city across from Morača, within the eastern stand of the city stadium. We will simplify the traffic control system in the capital city. Currently, we have several surveillance services, communal police, inspection, spider service, parking service, traffic secretariat, traffic police, and the situation is never worse.
Given that you claim that the current Podgorica government will be defeated and that the European Union will be the "backbone of the future government", with which name, party/coalitions do you think you will form it?
The European Union decided to participate in this model of a supra-party platform made up of political subjects and non-party personalities recognized for the results of their work, because we consider it our responsibility to present to the citizens of Podgorica with a clear political and programmatic platform and candidates who have shown through their previous work that they can take over responsibility for running the capital.
Post-election cooperation is only possible on the basis of a clear and precise programmatic agreement on everything that needs to be done in the next four-year period to make Podgorica an exemplary city. The development of the European capital is our priority.
Of course, we are not unknown in the public and it is known what is the value framework within which we can talk with potential partners, and we will not make compromises with the civic, anti-fascist, secular and European values of Podgorica.
I am not and we are not supporters that everyone can work with everyone, because this makes the value aspect of political action meaningless. That's why every vote for the European Union is actually a vote for the wave of retrograde to stop, and for those political structures that continuously attack the fundamental values of contemporary and self-aware Podgorica and Montenegro, who appoint people in decision-making positions in the city who insult all those who are different they think and determine their identity framework, they will not be the government in Podgorica, and tomorrow not even in Montenegro.
Unfortunately, today we again have certain value challenges that we thought were archived long ago.
Just as in the more demanding and challenging times of the last decade of the last century, the representatives of the reform and European movement, whose followers we are, overcame numerous value challenges, there is no reason why our generation should not do the same today.
Specifically, which current ruling parties would you cooperate with, and which would you not? Why?
The one who fits into our program and value framework can be a potential partner, and the one who has no emotion towards the need to nurture the authentic values of Titograd and the dynamic development of modern Podgorica, who has a negative attitude towards the sports symbols of the city, who uses local functions for ideological urges, revanchism , revisionism, deepening divisions and changing the value bloodstream of Podgorica, whoever does not affirm the culture of dialogue and mutual respect, etc., cannot be our ally.
In any case, the outgoing government must be adequately punished in the elections for the institutional, infrastructural and communal disorder, as well as the value stumbling in the capital.
We did not gather for the sake of several election cycles
What will be your answer if the list you lead does not achieve the desired result in the elections and is not part of the future government?
In the time of dividing political subjects and contaminating public discourse, we in the European Union gathered around the ideas and values of cultural and progressive Podgorica and Montenegro, and we opened the door of our union to all those who share the same or similar programmatic and value postulates, regardless of origin, religious or national affiliation.
We did not form the European Union, whose constituents have lasted for almost three and a half decades, from the Reform Forces until today, for the sake of several election cycles, but we gathered around a common goal - which is to change Podgorica and the whole of Montenegro for the better, that is, that our the country is a respectable member of the EU in terms of value and development. That we are on the right track is shown by an extremely good result in Budva and a great result in Gusinje, and we will get confirmation of correctness through excellent results in Podgorica and Kotor.
We will reorganize city enterprises and open them to professionals
If you come to power, would you reduce the number of employees in Cleaning, Water Supply, Parking Service and other city companies?
Councilors of the European Union in Podgorica, Miloš Mašković, Budimir Mugoša and Biljana Ćulafić, continuously very factually and clearly pointed out numerous anomalies in staffing and showed how the outgoing government made the system of the Capital City dysfunctional with party staffing and bad staffing solutions, which is why the consequences many citizens suffer.
In a very argumentative manner, they also spoke about hundreds of concluded work contracts, contracts on occasional and temporary jobs, and labor contracts. They also pointed out that in the system of the Capital City, on the basis of work contracts, certain councilors from the ruling majority were engaged, who themselves voted for an increase in the amount allocated for work contracts.
As the public is aware, we received confirmation that, for example, one city company employed more than 180 people in just the first year of the new city administration.
When it comes to announcing numerous internal and public advertisements ahead of the extraordinary local elections, we called on the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption and other relevant institutions to closely monitor employment in the Capital City and ensure a fair and transparent election race.
We plan to thoroughly reorganize city enterprises and ensure that jobs are reserved for professional and qualified people who do not have to be members of any party.
We will open the city administration for non-party people, as well as a space for very professional people working in the system to get the opportunity to hold leadership positions. Those who will perform certain functions and are members of the party will have to freeze their party function and be at the service of all the men and women of Podgorica. We will run the city transparently, and every type of employment will be based on real needs and qualifications.
In this way, we will rationalize the operating costs of companies, increase their efficiency and ensure that city resources are used in the interest of all citizens, not political elites.
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