Although the Movement for Podgorica (PzPG) is close to the head of state Jakov Milatović a week ago, he was allegedly closer to forming a government in the capital with the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) and the rest of the opposition, as of last night, the chances of doing so with parties from the state level are greater.
This was assessed by "Vijesti" sources familiar with last night's official negotiations of the PzPG, the Europe Now Movement (PES), the Democrats and the "For the Future of Podgorica" list, saying that they expect that the formation of the city government could soon be agreed upon.
They claim that the PzPG, at the meeting it hosted, allegedly proposed that the mayor of Podgorica be a high-ranking PES official and the minister of education, science and innovation. Anđela Jakšić Stojanović, but that the ruling parties replied that it was not possible. One interlocutor said that they allegedly said that she supports the PES candidate for the first man of the capital Saša Mujović, and that he has no ambitions to be in the proposed position.
Sources said that those parties allegedly offered a political entity close to Milatović to form the government in such a way that the mayor would be a representative of PES, his deputies from Democrats and PzPG, and that the head of the city assembly would be from the former Democratic Front (DF), i.e. list "For the future of Podgorica".
The ruling parties govern Podgorica according to that model, except that the place they offer to PzPG is currently covered by the Citizens' Movement (GP) URA, which is in alliance with that political actor "For a better Podgorica".
One "Vijesti" source claims that the governing parties have offered PzPG more than a quarter of the functions in the capital, without specifying which ones, but stating that this is a concession in order to agree to manage Podgorica jointly and that it is more than PzPG "earned" the election.
"Negotiations are going in the right direction," said that interlocutor.
Another source said that the agreement is "close", that today, at a new meeting, positions will be discussed and that the formation of the government could be completed by the end of the day.
The third interlocutor said that the positions were not divided, but that it could be resolved quickly. He adds that "no one refused" the ruling parties' offer and that the meeting was "good".
"When the offer is accepted by everyone, it will mean that we have an agreement. This is something that is imposed on the basis of logic that no one denies... Certainly, all 27 councilors are ready to accept that the PzPG participates in the government twice as much as they deserve in terms of the number of mandates", said the interlocutor.
Councilor of PzPG Nađa Ljiljanić, told journalists last night that the meeting with the ruling parties went "in the best order", and that they discussed the "principles" on which the government should be constituted.
Asked whether PzPG will continue the formal talks it started with DPS and the rest of the opposition, she answered that they need to talk with the membership, which, according to her, "would be happier if an agreement was made with the parties of the ruling majority".
The holder of the PES-Democrat coalition list, Saša Mujović, stated that a "good foundation" was created last night, but that it remains to be seen whether it will be translated "into a result".
"As soon as we responded to the conversation, we showed that we want a compromise and that we are ready to make concessions, and that we are ready to offer cooperation to the list led by Milatović, for the benefit of the citizens of Podgorica and the whole of Montenegro," he said after the meeting.
Mujović stated that he did not leave the conversation with euphoria, but "with a certain amount of optimism".
"The next two days will show whether we were successful. I hope we will have wisdom. Already tomorrow we will have a clear situation and picture. The municipal committees of the constituents who attended the meeting should make a decision", he announced.
When asked if GP URA Dritan Abazović welcome to participate in the negotiations, Mujović replied that he is not entering "someone else's yard", and that he is on the list of "For a better Podgorica" to agree on this.
To the same question, Ljiljanić responded by saying that she represented a joint list, that the GP URA was informed about the meeting, but that they were prevented from coming. He claims that "he will be there next time".
Last night, GP URA did not give "Vijesta" an answer to the question of whether they expect PzPG to enter into an alliance with the ruling parties. A source from that party said that they will hold a meeting with the coalition partner, where, they say, they will be presented with what was agreed last night.
Member of Parliament and vice-president of GP URA Filip Adzic, he said yesterday that, "if Milatović wants to be a pendant of the leader of the former DF and head of the parliament Andrije Mandić”, GP URA will not participate in it. He stated that he was surprised by PzPG's decision to negotiate with PES "after a series of unconstitutional moves".
"They said everything about each other in a negative way. President Milatović said that it was an anti-Montenegrin and anti-European option, PES said a lot of negative things about Milatović...", said Adžić in the program on Radio Antena M.
The PzPG invited the ruling parties to a dialogue the day before yesterday, not long after Milatović wrote on the Iks network that "the future of Podgorica and the future of Montenegro should be found through the strengthening of dialogue and mutual understanding between political entities and actors of the civic center", that is, "the idea that on the previous local, presidential and parliamentary elections led by a single PES".
The invitation of PzPG was preceded not only by Milatović's message, but also by the postponement of the meeting that this political entity was supposed to have the night before last with DPS, the European Union and the Party of European Progress (SEP). The meeting, which was supposed to be a continuation of the official negotiations on the city government that started on Monday, was reportedly canceled because all the list holders of those political actors could not attend the official gathering. However, in the last few days there has been speculation in political circles that one PzPG councilor is not in favor of cooperation with DPS. Without that councilor, PzPG cannot form a government with the strongest opposition party.
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The elections in Podgorica were held on September 29, and DPS won 19 mandates, the coalition PES-Democrats 14, the alliance "For the Future of Podgorica" 13, the list "Za bolju Podgorica" six, the European Union three, and the SEP and the "Revolution" Movement ” for two terms.
Bearing in mind that there are 59 councilors in the Assembly of the Capital City, it is necessary to provide the support of at least 30 of them for the constitution of the government. If PzPG and GP URA unite with DPS, the European Union and SEP, they can reach 30 "hands" for the election of the government.
On the other hand, the ruling parties from the state level can establish an administration even without the votes of the GP URA, and with the support of four PzPG councilors. In that case, they would have 31 mandates in the Podgorica parliament.
The deadline to constitute the Podgorica parliament by electing its head expires on January 5 of the coming year, ie - 60 days from the publication of the final election results in the Official Gazette (the mayor is elected no later than 30 days after the constitution of the parliament). If this does not happen, the president will have to call for new elections.
The government in Podgorica consisted of PES (from which PzPG emerged), a coalition gathered around the former DF, Demokrata and GP URA.
Mugoša: It is not good manners to negotiate with several parties at the same time
SEP official Ilija Mugoša said yesterday before the meeting of PzPG and ruling parties that "it is not good political manners to negotiate with several political entities at the same time".
"We saw that information... At the meeting held two days ago, we were assured that they want to build a future with this political party and that they just entered the election race with the same goal as us - to replace the irresponsible city mayor government", said Mugoša to Radio Montenegro.
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