"A race for the soul", not for votes?

The Athletic Club "Nikšić" (AKN) scheduled the "Ostroški Half Marathon" for Sunday, April 13, before the elections in the town under Trebjes were scheduled for that day, and registrations for the race opened in September last year.

This was told to "Vijesti" by the technical director of the event. Drago Music, answering questions about why the half marathon was scheduled for the same time as the elections and whether they had considered postponing it, as demanded by the opposition Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS).

On the other hand, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) told "Vijesti" that the race had been reported to them, that they did not consider it risky and that they would ensure its smooth running, but also that they would preserve public order and peace.

The upcoming half marathon is, according to Music, the eighth edition of the "race for the soul" which is held every year in the second week of April.

"How can we postpone it when the race is on the calendars of the Athletics Federation of Montenegro (ASCG), the Balkan Athletics Association (BAA), the European Athletics Association (EAA) and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF)?" he asked.

He notes that they have a track certificate from the IAAF, which they paid 3.000 euros for, which they need for their results to be valid.

"We did not enter the election period, but, on the contrary, the elections entered our period," said Music.

He stated that registrations for the race opened in September and that by New Year's Day, over 50 percent of competitors had registered.

"The local elections in Nikšić four years ago were held on March 13, 2021. So you know that the ninth edition of the 'race for the soul' will be held on April 12, 2026," he announced.

Only the initial part of the race in the inner city area

The fact that the "Ostroški Half Marathon" is being held on the day of local elections has been raised by the DPS. The head of the party's parliamentary group Andrija Nikolić, announced at a press conference on Sunday that the sports event was scheduled "at an inappropriate time" and that he expects the Ministry of Interior to not approve it and instruct the organizer to organize the event on another day.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs, responding to questions about whether they approved the half marathon and whether they consider such an event to be risky on election day, told "Vijesti" that the Nikšić police believe that holding this sports event is not risky, taking into account that only the initial part of the race, three to four kilometers, takes place in the inner part of the city, and the remaining part on the local road Carev most - Pandurica - Ostrog.

They said that the Athletic Club "Nikšić" reported to the Security Department in that city on March 18th the holding of the international race "Ostroški Half Marathon 2025", which is being held for the eighth time.

"So far, during the holding of these races, or marathons, in previous years, the police have not registered any security challenges that would put the holding of such an event in question this year," the Ministry of Internal Affairs stated.

The Nikšić Security Department, as they said, respecting the applicable legal regulations, did not issue a decision prohibiting the holding of the aforementioned public event, regardless of the date of the event, given that the "Ostroški Half Marathon" is always held in the second week of April.

"Police officers will take measures and actions, not only for the purpose of the smooth running of the athletics race and maintaining stable public order and peace, but also for the purpose of the smooth running of citizens' lives. The police in Nikšić will, among other things, ensure that the streets in the inner part of the city are partially closed to traffic, for a period of no longer than 20 minutes, and also that the traffic ban on the remaining part of the track intended for the athletics race leading from the city to the Emperor's Bridge will not be longer than 40 minutes," they announced.

They also received permission from the Municipality.

Musić confirmed that they received permission for the race from the Secretariat for Traffic and Communal Services of the Municipality of Nikšić, as well as approval from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and that they paid for their services (security).

According to him, 516 competitors from 21 countries (Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Russia, Kosovo, Denmark, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Ukraine, Romania, Jamaica, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Slovenia, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Belarus, Armenia, Poland and Uruguay) have so far registered for the half marathon.

The names of all competitors have been published on the website of the “Ostrogo Half Marathon.” The website states that the race starts at 10:55 in front of the church of St. Basil of Ostrog in Nikšić, and ends at the Ostrog Monastery.

Tensions have increased in Nikšić ahead of the elections, and incidents occurred at the election rally of the "For the Future of Nikšić" coalition on Tuesday evening, when the official vehicle of the mayor of Trebinje was hit with a stone. Mirko Ćurić, who attended the forum of that association.

"In addition to that car, two other vehicles with Bosnian license plates and one vehicle with Zeta license plates were hit by stones," the Police Directorate unofficially told Vijesti.

That same evening, two vehicles with Bosnian license plates were damaged in a fire on Šaka Petrović Square in Nikšić. According to unofficial information from "Vijesti", a Molotov cocktail was most likely thrown at the vehicles, but the cause of the fire will be determined by the competent Ministry of the Interior services.

"Hunting for Serbs", Milović, Baćović, Bojović...

Leader of the list “For the Future of Nikšić” Marko Kovacevic said at a press conference yesterday that the escaped police officer Ljubo Milović, accused of being part of the so-called police drug cartel, "paying a group of people to cause problems in Nikšić", while the leader of the Democratic People's Party (DNP) Milan Knezevic assessed that on Tuesday evening "the hunt for Serbs from Herzegovina, Nikšić, Zeta began."

"It all started after Andrija Nikolić handed over some kind of list of people ('double voters') who were allegedly registered in Nikšić and Republika Srpska," said Knežević, alluding to the list of double voters that Nikolić handed over to the Ministry of the Interior on Tuesday.

Leader of New Serbian Democracy and President of the Assembly Andrija Mandic, yesterday called on the police and competent authorities to react to the incidents in Nikšić.

"The mafia will not stop because of the forecast that the list led by Kovačević will be stronger than theirs. We think that Nikšić is a very big challenge for our security services. We have received information and there is talk that the same person who planned to give money to set cars on fire, that the same man is doing the same things today," he said.

Trebinje leader Ćurić said yesterday at a press conference in that city that the incident in Nikšić does not send a good image, but that he views it as an act of individuals.

"This atmosphere was partly created by statements made by certain politicians. I even received information a few days ago that one of the, as I understand it, DPS MPs reported that there were a certain number of voters from Republika Srpska, Trebinje, Herzegovina, who, according to them, would abuse their right to vote," he said, adding that in addition to the vehicles of the city of Trebinje, several others were damaged, "some of them were even set on fire, which does not send a good image at all," RTRS reports.

Journalists asked why the official car of the city of Trebinje was at the party rally in Nikšić, and whether Ćurić was officially meeting with Kovačević, to which Ćurić did not give a precise answer. He said that they met not only on Tuesday, but also earlier, and that he had nothing to be ashamed of.

"These are our brothers. It's like comparing not going to a godfather's wedding and, of course, Mr. Kovačević, why should we hide it when it was known, was at the support of the rallies that were held in Trebinje in the previous period. We have extremely good cooperation, we have nothing to be ashamed of and the deeds are behind us in both Nikšić and Trebinje," Ćurić concluded.

The DPS announced that the former "DF (Democratic Front) is burning its own vehicles worth a few hundred euros, in order to then construct a thesis about how the 'hunt for Serbs' allegedly began."

"We will not allow servants to talk to us about crime." Boban Bacovic and those to whom Luka Bojović "arranges the formation of the government in Podgorica. We understand your burden of criminal structures because your bosses are the ones who lead state-organized crime in Serbia and on whose instructions you have to act politically. However, on April 13th, neither shameful theses about the alleged hunt for Serbs, nor incidents that you yourself cause, nor Baćović nor Luka Bojović will help you - you will be beaten like never before and sent permanently into the political past," the DPS statement reads.

There will be more police officers in Nikšić

The Police Directorate announced yesterday that it will increase the presence of its officers in Nikšić, including members of the Special Police Unit (PJP), in order to ensure the safety of citizens and the stability of public order and peace.

The institution announced that Nikšić police officers, in cooperation with the prosecutor's office, are taking measures and actions to identify the persons who damaged five vehicles belonging to foreign citizens at a political rally on Freedom Square in Nikšić.

The police appealed to citizens to refrain from violence and any form of illegal activity.