The head of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) parliamentary group, Andrija Nikolić, said that the group is returning to regular work in the Parliament because the demands made by the opposition to make the parliament function again as "the only true place for democracy and political debate" have been met.
"As you know, the agreement reached between the Government and the parliamentary opposition was reached under the auspices of the European Union, which is a very important fact, bearing in mind that we are in the final phase of the integration process," Nikolić said at a press conference in the Parliament.
As he added, they agreed, based on that mediation in resolving the constitutional and political crisis in the country, to temporarily suspend the procedure for the election of a judge of the Constitutional Court, who was to fill the position of judge Dragana Đuranović, and that in the end everyone would commit to respecting the opinion of the Venice Commission.
"It was also agreed not to raise issues that polarize the Montenegrin public without a previously established general political consensus in the country, that is, to place full focus on issues of European integration," he said.
He said that the Committee for Comprehensive Electoral Reform should present its work, or rather its results, by the end of the year.
"Those who signed the agreement are responsible for implementing it. On behalf of the Government and the Europe Now movement, Milojko Spajić did it, and on behalf of the parliamentary opposition, Danijel Živković, Damir Šehović and Adrijan Vuksanović did it. This means that this political agreement made by the Government with the parliamentary opposition should guarantee our country a full focus on European integration without drawing attention to some topics that could destabilize our integration focus," he said, adding that those who jeopardize the agreement also jeopardize Montenegro's membership in the EU, and that they will have to take full responsibility for this.
"Of course, we believe that the demonstrated reason and willingness to talk to the parliamentary opposition when valid arguments are on the side of the parliamentary opposition guarantee that we will chart this final phase of the path towards the EU through joint work between the parliamentary majority and the parliamentary opposition, or some parts of the parliamentary majority and the parliamentary opposition," he stressed.
Nikolić said that there is no doubt that DPS, with its signature, guarantees that this agreement will be respected, and said that they will not be the ones to violate it.
Asked to comment on the fact that the agreement was not signed by the Civic Movement URA, which had been with them in the blockade of the Parliament the entire time, Nikolić replied that the Civic Movement URA and the SDP, which is currently an extra-parliamentary party, regularly reported on all agreements and negotiations they conducted under the auspices of the EU.
"As far as we are concerned, I think that the signatures that have been placed on the agreement guarantee, and the mathematics, according to our agreement, guarantees us, that there is a sufficient number of MPs behind those signatures. That no one can challenge what the Government, or rather the PES and the parliamentary opposition, have agreed upon. Add up the number of MPs, and you will see a very clear political majority in parliament in relation to the political agreement that has been reached," he pointed out.
He added that additional verification of this agreement should be a guarantee of the political integrity of those people who signed it.
When asked whether they were guaranteed that other members of the parliamentary majority would respect the agreement, but also what if any of the polarizing issues were raised, Nikolić said that the signature they had placed was binding for them.
"Do I believe that the Prime Minister, Mr. Spajić, can guarantee the rest of the parliamentary majority? I am not sure, but the rest of the parliamentary majority certainly did not sign the agreement. The initiatives that would come from the rest of the parliamentary majority are still limited in scope, considering the number of MPs who are behind this agreement. However, if at some point it is decided to raise this issue, I have nothing against presenting our argumentation as to why this is not the right time to open these issues once again, but to say why these issues are controversial for Montenegro, which is in the final phase of its European path. It was not by chance that I mentioned that this was achieved under the auspices of the European Union. This means that the people who spoke in the EU Delegation and who committed themselves with their signatures to respecting the agreement still know that they have invested a significant part of their credibility and integrity and that any collapse would also undermine the potential partners of the European Union in any future process," he said.
When asked by journalists how he viewed the initiative of Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman to adopt a resolution on the attack on Dubrovnik, Nikolić said that they were a continuation of the problems of Croatia and Montenegro, and that Croatia was provoked by the Resolution on Jasenovac.
"They probably recognize in Croatia that part of the parliamentary majority has not made a break with the events of the 1990s," he said.
Journalists also asked Nikolić how DPS views the fact that part of the government, and primarily the former Democratic Front, opposed the agreement that Spajić signed with part of the opposition, and what if they do not accept the findings of the Venice Commission.
"Vijesti" asked how DPS views the fact that the agreement they signed with PES stipulates that the further procedure for the election of one judge of the Constitutional Court is suspended until the Venice Commission's opinion is delivered, and the Constitutional Committee continues today to hear candidates who responded to the advertisement for two judges, including this position.
"I can't say that I'm surprised that a part of the parliamentary majority that didn't sign the agreement will show that it doesn't apply to them. What does that mean? - I would say that it's just a political game, because a qualified majority is required to elect a judge in parliament. So, any procedure that would be without an agreement is just a part of political folklore," he said.
Nikolić reminded that they had issued an official apology for the events of the 1990s.
When asked how he would comment on Grlić Radman's views that the Lora camp did not exist, Nikolić said that he had not been sufficiently informed and that these issues needed to be discussed.
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