Dissatisfaction of citizens, lower turnout, a decent campaign and a drop in support for the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) and the parties of the former Democratic Front (DF), contributed to the good result of the parties that make up the Government in Berane, in contrast to Budva and Podgorica, where they recorded a significant drop.
This was assessed by the interlocutors of "Vijesti" in response to the question of what contributed to the fact that the government parties from the state level did well in the elections in Beran, as opposed to those in Podgorica and Budva. They triumphed in Sunday's extraordinary elections in Berane, winning close to 80 percent of the seats in the local parliament.
Journalist and editor of the Radio Berane portal, Milena Bubanja Obradović, she said that the lower voter turnout compared to previous election cycles, especially compared to the 2018 elections, indicates citizens' dissatisfaction.
"Instability in local self-government, which resulted in the introduction of compulsory administration, certainly affected the support received by the participants. It is obvious that the voters in Berane demand changes and a more stable political environment", said Bubanja Obradović.
Director of the Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CEDEM) Nevenka Vuksanović believes that the results of the elections in Berane indicate a seriousness of the political landscape at the local level because "some unequivocal result" was finally obtained.
Coalition of the Movement Europe Now (PES) Prime Minister Milojko Spajić and the Socialist People's Party (SNP) Vladimir Joković, both parties did not participate in the previous local government, it received a third of the votes and 13 mandates (of which seven belong to PES and six to SNP), while the parties of the former DF (list "Za budućnost Berana") have fewer mandates in relation to the previous local elections.
On the other hand, the opposition DPS will have two councilors less than before, the European Union did not pass the census, while the list "Because I love Berane" Vesko Mujović, who had not gone to the polls until now, made one of the biggest surprises of the election, winning two mandates.
The "For the Future of Berana" alliance, which consists of the New Serbian Democracy (NSD), Democratic People's Party (DNP), United Montenegro and Prava Montenegro, won about 1.100 votes less than those parties together received at the polls in 2022, having we see that at that time they performed in three columns (NSD and DNP together with the Movement for Changes and the Workers' Party, and United and Prava independently). The decline is also visible in the number of mandates, because two years ago they had a total of nine, and now one less.
The government introduced forced administration in the Municipality of Berane, ending a months-long political crisis that led to a complete blockade of the city's institutions, after which extraordinary elections were called. The crisis occurred when the agreed rotation in the post of municipal president between the NSD and the Democrats failed, because there was not the necessary majority in the ruling coalition. The deadline was July 13 this year.
After the regular local elections in Berane in 2022, the majority coalition was formed by DF, Democrats, Berane Sad, Prava Montenegro and United Montenegro with a total of 19 councilors. The SNP, which was in power in Berane for years, remained in the opposition. PES did not exist then.
Nevenka Vuksanović pointed out that Berane, as a specific environment, already has a tradition of recognizing locally focused initiatives:
"Hence the mandates won by Vesko Mujović (citizen's list Because I love Berane), which shows that voters value local approaches to solving problems".
Vuksanović assessed that the decline in support for traditional parties such as DPS and the former DF shows that citizens are looking for new political options.
"Perhaps these results should show us that political creativity in coming up with solutions to public problems and a more serious political campaign can be the way to concrete election results, but that the implementation of those promises must not be absent, otherwise the citizens will justifiably punish it in the next elections." stated Vuksanović.
The ruling parties from the state level experienced a huge decline at the polls in the last elections in Budva on November 17, by about 15 percent compared to the May elections in that city. Then, on May 26, they won a total of 4.821 votes, and on November 17, 4.096 votes, that is, 725 less.
In the elections in Podgorica on September 29, DPS won 19 seats in the city assembly (29,95 percent or 24.309 votes), PES and Democrats 14 (21,77 percent or 17.672 votes), the coalition gathered around the parties of the former DF 13 (20,16 , 16.361 percent or XNUMX votes).
Of the 14 seats it won with the Democrats, PES got eight, and Aleksa Bečić's party got six. Prime Minister Milojko Spajić's party had seven councilors in the outgoing convocation, while the Democrats had four.
Bubanja Obradović pointed out that the results of the Berane elections somewhat reflect the level of support that the constituents of the government at the state level have, and judging by the statements of political party leaders after the elections, it is possible that this will be reflected in the way the government will be formed in Berane.
She pointed out that she specifically means the formation of a broad coalition, which could be a significant step towards stability in this city.
"If we compare the results achieved by the parties in Berane with the outcome of the elections in Budva and Podgorica, I would say that it can be best explained by the difference in local political dynamics and the way the campaign was conducted. The decent and fair campaign, which marked these elections, certainly had an impact on their outcome", Bubanja Obradović pointed out.
The results are not surprising
Milena Gvozdenović from the Center for Democratic Transition (CDTI) said that when analyzing the elections, the specificity of the environment in which the elections are held should be taken into account.
"In that sense, I was not too surprised by the results. We don't have that continuation of the PES fall. The result of the DPS, which shows a certain decline, is interesting, but also the fact that in the elections so far we have had the success of civic lists. In Berane, too, I see a civic list that has won two mandates, which indicates that civic activism is awakening," Gvozdenović said in Boje jutra on Vijesti Television.
She does not expect problems in the formation of the government in Berane.
And the church "pushed"
On the eve of the elections in Berane, the bishop of Budimlja-Niššić Serbian Orthodox Church, Metodije, who reigns in the Đurđevi stupovi monastery in Berane, gave his public support to the holder of the "For the Future of Berane" list, Jelena Božović.
He said that she has done a lot for her region and that he expects the people of Beran to massively support her.
Both the Prime Minister and the leader of the Europe Now Movement (PES) Milojko Spajić last week visited the Monastery of George's Pillars in Berane, but the photos published by PES on Facebook do not show that he met with Metodije.
On the same day, Spajić also visited the Majlis of the Islamic Community in Berane and met with the imam of Berane, Rahim Efendija Muratović.
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