Sanel Balić from the Bosniak Party (BS) will most likely remain at the head of the municipality of Gusinje in the coming period, while the position of President of the Municipal Assembly will go to the Social Democrats (SD), "Vijesti" learned from a source close to the SD.
In the event that majority support is formed in the local parliament for such an arrangement, the party bodies of the party led by Damir Šehović would decide who would become the first man of the Gusin assembly.
The "Vijesti" source claims that the "Movement for Gusinje" list, composed of until recently members of the Albanian Forum (AF) in that municipality, should provide the two councilors who are necessary for the majority.
The interlocutor of the newspaper explained that these are informal contacts, and that the official meetings of the party delegations will still follow.
On the other hand, BS did not confirm the allegations about forming a coalition.
In addition, the largest minority party in Montenegro told the newspaper that the first session of the new convocation will be scheduled this week, most likely for Friday, October 25, because the deadline for its holding expires two days later.
43,39 percent of votes, or 14 mandates, was won by the "Heart for Gusinje" coalition in the elections held on September 15. The "Together for Gusinje" list of the Albanian Forum and DUA won 23,40 percent of the vote and seven mandates, DPS 20,61 percent and six mandates, the Movement for Gusinje 7,44 percent and two mandates, and the Democrats 5,16 percent or one mandate
The DPS from Gusinje told "Vijesta" that no one invited them to any negotiations, but neither did they talk to anyone officially about post-election cooperation.
"Vijesti" was unofficially told by BS on the night of the election that they should act unitedly in the negotiations with SD and the Social Democratic Party, with whom they appeared in the pre-election coalition "Heart for Gusinje". 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.
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 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 party at the state level.
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.
In the elections held on September 15, the "Heart for Gusinje" coalition won 43,39 percent of the votes, or 14 mandates.
The "Together for Gusinje" list of the Albanian Forum and DUA Salih Đonbalaj won 23,40 percent of the vote, i.e. seven mandates, the DPS "Gusinje može bolje - Demir Bajrović" list won 20,61 percent and six mandates, the Pokret za Gusinje list won 7,44, 5,16 percent or two mandates, and the Democrats XNUMX percent or one mandate.
After the 2020 elections, the government in Gusinje was formed 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 from DPS (Anela Čekić) dismissed two secretaries from BS. A reshuffle of the government followed, after which DPS went into opposition, and BS and Albanian parties with councilors from SD, SDP and the Socialist People's Party (SNP) formed a new majority.
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