Tensions, quarrels and extremely inappropriate vocabulary further undermine the reputation of the Assembly, especially the parties and their officials.
This is what the executive director of the Center for Civil Liberties (CEGAS) assessed for "Vijesti". Marija Popović Kalezić, commenting on increasingly frequent verbal, and almost physical, duels between MPs.
"The key indicator is the large drop in voter turnout in the elections, which we can interpret as a serious warning to politicians," Kalezić assessed.
The last incident in the Assembly happened during the past week, when during the session of the prime minister's hour there were several verbal conflicts and almost a fight between MPs, as well as MPs and ministers. It all started with a verbal conflict between Social Democrats (SD) deputies. Branislav Nenezić and vice president of the Assembly Boris Pejović (PES). After it was repeatedly pointed out from the opposition benches that "everything is falling apart" in the country while he is the prime minister Milojko Spajic spoke, Pejović told the opposition that they were being financed by "Bemax". Nenezić reacted to this, standing up and shouting "who is financed by Bemax", heading towards Pejović.
"Who do you think you are to address us like that", said Nenezić, while being a member of the parliament, above all the president and MP of DPS Danijel Zivkovic, prevented physical contact.
"Mrš, so I can't see you," replied Pejović.
After the conflict between Nenezić and Pejović, there was also a conflict between SD MPs Boris Mugoša and the Deputy Prime Minister Filip Ivanovic (PES).
After a few minutes, the session of the Assembly continued. President of the Assembly Andrija Mandic when the session continued, he stated that plenums can sometimes be dramatic, but that they are all representatives of the people.
Distraction from problems in society
Marija Popović Kalezić said that the affirmation of tensions as part of political activity is known both in theory and in practice.
"In Montenegro, as a society without a sufficiently democratic tradition, such tense and conflictual forms of political action result in distracting attention from the key problems of society and strengthening the divisions that represent one of the biggest obstacles to progress," Popović Kalezić said.
She pointed out that Montenegrin society has been experiencing a turbulent transition for decades, which includes monstrous war crimes and bloody mafia confrontations, all of which, she says, are continuously connected to politics.
"Such a heritage is not to be played with, and instead of politicians striving to promote reforms, visions of development, prudently uncovering the problems of corruption and organized crime, they give a special tone to the poisoning of society by various forms of conflict. At the very least, irresponsible and arrogant", assessed Popović Kalezić.
She concluded that politicians are much more committed to creating conflicts in society than to improving public policies, which is the key interest of citizens.
The assembly is silent, the code is clear
The Assembly did not answer the questions to what extent this behavior of deputies affects the reputation of the Assembly and citizens' trust in their work, whether an additional code of conduct or sanctions for inappropriate behavior could reduce tension among deputies, as well as whether any of the deputies are due to such situations who participated in this week's, as well as earlier, similar events in the Assembly were punished.
The Assembly has a Code of Ethics, which represents a set of rules and standards for the behavior of deputies. According to the rules of the code, the MP is obliged to take care in every situation not to degrade the function, not to hurt the reputation of other MPs and the Assembly. Amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly three years ago specified that MPs who were given a warning, disqualification, or removal from the session due to inappropriate words, will not be fined.
The last time, in March 2021, a deputy of the previous convocation of the Assembly was punished Andrija Popović (LP) due to throwing away the parliamentary Rules of Procedure. He was immediately punished by removal from that and all sessions for the next 15 days.
They impose topics and patterns of behavior on citizens
Civic activist Stefan Djukic he said that deputies in the Assembly are representatives of citizens, their extended hand, or "at least they should be in some ideal world, which is more democratic and less partitocratic".
"Unfortunately, this is neither legally nor practically the case here, but they are the ones who create public opinion, who impose patterns of behavior and topics on citizens. Therefore, one ugly word in the Assembly produces a rough fight in a public space, in a square, in a cafe, on social networks because it multiplies among citizens, because it is imposed as a way of communication and behavior. Our 'elected representatives' are, unfortunately, bearing in mind that they are, as they are, authorities for a large part of the population, their topics, their manners, their speeches resonate", said Đukić.
He pointed out that this is the reason for this behavior, "to which we are accustomed, but they still unpleasantly surprise us with their irresponsibility, their apathy, their unwillingness to really be any kind of role model, in anything".
"I do not agree that citizens are like that and that parliamentarians are a mirror. "Citizens are far better, even though MPs, like all other members of the political class, constantly try to drag them down to the bottom," Đukić pointed out.
There has been no shortage of incidents in the Assembly even since the beginning of the mandate of the new convocation.
Čarapić - Abdić, Huter - Radunović, Knežević - Vuković, Abazović - Zirojević...
In May, there was a sharp discussion in the Parliament between the representatives of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) and the Europe Now Movement (PES), which is why the vice-president of the parliament Zdenka Popović took a break. Verbal conflict between PES deputies Vasilija Čarapić i Nermin Abdić from the DPS continued in the assembly hall. According to "Vijesti" information at the time, there was no physical contact because the then deputy of the DNP intervened. Milun Zogović, and security also responded.
To the presentation of the representatives Andrije Nikolić (DPS), who during the discussion accused the PES of misleading the public when it comes to the draft resolution on Srebrenica, Čarapić responded:
"It is a standard practice that is carried out every time, and you are trying to make a spin out of it and call us liars, shame on you," Čarapić said.
Nermin Abdić from the DPS responded, shouting from the spot to Čarapić to watch his behavior. After that, the vice-president of the parliament took a break.
During the first spring session in Cetinje, on March 7 this year, there was a verbal conflict between the representatives of the DPS Oskara Weakness and part of the representatives of the coalition For the Future of Montenegro (ZBCG). While Huter was speaking, the representative of that time Slaven Radunović threw something at him, and he repeatedly repeated "shame on you".
A member of the DNP joined the discussion Milan Knezevic, and then stood up, after which the session was paused. Even after a break was given, the heated discussion continued, and Huter and Knežević repeatedly tried to attack each other physically, but were prevented by the other deputies. DPS MPs Danijel Živković and Andrija Nikolić demanded that security be called, they approached the table of Mandić, who walked away after a short discussion.
In December last year, DNP deputy Milan Knežević and DPS deputy Ivan Vukovic they verbally clashed at the parliamentary session. Knežević invited Vuković "to go outside", after the check the vice-president of the Assembly Zdenka Popović took a ten-minute break.
The verbal confrontation between Knežević and Vuković was preceded by the suggestion of DPS MP Andrija Nikolić to the Vice President of the Assembly Zdenka Popović to "follow what the MPs say a little more diligently".
"I'm not going to let you talk about it the way you've learned, neither you, nor Vuković, nor anyone else... You took away my immunity, so now here you're playing a moral stone for me. Well, you will choose your words when he talks about me. And you and Vuković and the rest of the company," said Knežević.
"Who is Vuković", Vuković asked, to which Knežević replied - "you".
Knežević then invited Vuković to go outside, after the check Popović gave a break of ten minutes.
At the end of November last year, there was almost a physical confrontation between deputies in the Assembly Dritan Abazović (GP URA) and Nikola Zirojević (SD).
The other MPs prevented the incident from remaining on the record.
"I'm talking to you, there's a doctor in this hall, so if you don't believe me Jevto Erakovic and Nermin Abdić - here it is (Albin) Ceman, please let's get organized so that the member of parliament who is yelling at us is provided with benzedin, and then given strepsil," said Zirojević.
After Abazović told Zirojević "when I tell you, you will remember it for the rest of your life", Zirojević invited him to leave the assembly hall.
A more serious incident was prevented, among others, by Milan Knežević and Boris Bogdanovic.
The session continued after a short break.
Bonus video:
