The ruling parties at the state level are allegedly close to an agreement to form a government in Berane, "Vijesti" has learned unofficially.
Several newspaper sources from these parties claim that the new mayor of the municipality should be a representative of the Europe Now Movement (PES). Djole Lutovac, who led the coalition of that political entity and the Socialist People's Party (SNP) in the December elections, and that the head of the local parliament should come from the ranks of the alliance "For the Future of Berane", whose backbone is the constituents of the former Democratic Front (DF).
"Vijesti" sources also claim that the Municipality of Berane will have two vice presidents - one from the Democrats, the other from the SNP.
An interlocutor from the top of the PES-SNP coalition said that the Bosniak Party (BS) should also be part of the new ruling majority in the municipality in the north of the country. Ervin Ibrahimović, “if it remains part of the state government.” However, a source from the Democrats claims that BS's entry into local government has not yet been agreed upon, and that it will allegedly depend on the relationship of Ibrahimović's party towards the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS).
BS is in coalition with this, the strongest opposition party, in Bijelo Polje, Bar, Ulcinj and Plav. One of the conditions of some of the ruling parties for BS's entry into the executive branch this summer was that this entity terminate cooperation with DPS at the local level until the adoption of this year's budget. They said that, otherwise, "... this parliamentary majority will terminate cooperation with the parties that form the government with the leading parliamentary opposition."
The 2025 budget is in the parliamentary procedure, and it should be decided at an extraordinary session of the state parliament, scheduled for January 21st.
The Berane parliament has 34 seats, so the support of at least 18 councilors is needed to form a government. In the event that BS is also part of the deal, the majority will be 26 councilors. If that party "hangs out" and remains in opposition, the government will be supported by 24 local parliamentarians.
The State Election Commission (SEC) announced the final results of the Berane elections three weeks ago. The PES-SNP coalition won 4.529 votes, or 12 seats in the local assembly, the “For the Future of Berane” alliance won 2.963 votes, or eight seats, the DPS list “For Berane! With Heart and Knowledge! Dr. Miro Nedić” won 1.916 votes - five seats, while the list “Democrats - 'We Preserve Our Roots, We Build Berane' Božo Premović” won one seat less, with 1.702 votes.
"City of Equal Opportunities - Bosniak Party - Ervin Ibahimović" was voted for by 826 citizens, so that list received two mandates, the same number as the Civic Movement "Because I Love Berane", which "earned" 872 votes.
The list of Free Montenegro "Vladislav Dajković - Berane can be better" will have one councilor in the Berane parliament, which received 428 votes.
The lists of the European Union, the Citizens' Group "We Live for Youth - Milanko Šćekić", and the Party of Justice and Reconciliation remained below the threshold.
The elections were held on December 8, and according to early results (from that night), the PES-SNP coalition had 13 seats. However, after the elections were repeated at the polling station in Gornji Zaostar, one seat of that alliance “passed” into the hands of Dajković's party.
PES and SNP will divide the 12 mandates they won "equally" - six each for both parties.
When it comes to the coalition "For the Future of Berane", four mandates will go to the New Serbian Democracy, three to the Democratic People's Party, and one to United Montenegro.
In Berane, after the previous local elections, held in 2022, the majority of the 19 councilors was formed by the coalition "For the Future of Berane", the Democrats, the list "Berane Now", True Montenegro and United Montenegro, by sending the then-ruling SNP into opposition.
The political crisis that resulted in the snap elections occurred this summer, when the agreed rotation of the position of mayor between the NSD and the Democrats failed. There was no majority in the ruling coalition, or rather in the list led by the parties of the former DF, for this.
The Berane parliament has 34 seats, so the support of at least 18 councilors is needed to form a government. In the event that BS is also part of the agreement, the majority will be 26 councilors. If that party "hangs out" and remains in opposition, the government will support 24 local parliamentarians
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