Two failed attempts to convene the Bar parliament have raised the issue of the unity of the ruling coalition there, led by the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) and the Social Democrats (SD). While sources for "Vijesti" claim that there is disagreement between certain officials of the two parties, DPS denies this, saying that "their positions are in agreement" and that the government is stable.
The newspaper's sources claim that, allegedly, disagreements have occurred in municipal bodies, in positions held by DPS and SD officials, due to the issue of the implementation of some infrastructure projects.
The top leadership of the DPS in Bar denied this, telling "Vijesti" that all "positions were in agreement" and that they had no problems with the coalition partner. However, they did not answer on which issues the positions were not in agreement.
When asked why their councilors did not come to the session scheduled for March 10, they said that it was "a kind of message," but did not answer to whom it was addressed.
A source from SD also claims that "their positions are in agreement", and when asked with whom they discussed this, they replied that the conversation took place at the coalition level. That party also did not say on which issues their positions were not in agreement with DPS.
These parties say that the Bar Municipal Assembly (MA) will continue its work and decision-making at the level of the previous coalition on April 16, when the session is scheduled to continue.
In addition to the March 10th session, which was postponed because DPS councilors did not attend, the one scheduled for April 9th was also postponed because one councilor from that party was missing for a quorum.
The opposition did not want to give legitimacy to the ruling coalition for decision-making, so they waited for the roll call in front of the municipal hall, in the hallway. After the first man of the Bar assembly, Branislav Nenezić (SD), stated that there was no quorum, the session was postponed again, to the following week.
Of the 37 seats in the Bar parliament, the majority of 19 councilors are held by the DPS, SD, Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Liberal Party (LP).
The head of the DPS councilors' club, Asim Andrić, told "Vijesti" that there is no crisis in power, but that they did not come to the last session because it was necessary "only to agree on certain positions for the coming period, so the Municipal Assembly will resume very soon."
Andrić claims that opposition councilors abused the fact that one of their councilors could not attend the last session due to private obligations and that they left the session, which is why there was no quorum.
"Postponing the session will in no way affect the functioning of local government, because all bodies and services are carrying out all regular activities and tasks," he said.
The president of the opposition party "Biram Bar" Radomir Novaković disagrees with this, telling "Vijesti" that the citizens of Bar "do not deserve this", and that the ruling coalition is being frivolous.
"It's time to finally know in this city whether to ask DPS or SD, because we see that together they don't ask anything," he added.
After the session was postponed, Novaković's party said that this did not happen due to objective circumstances, but solely due to the inability of the ruling parties to reach an agreement and ensure a quorum.
"The same people who spend citizens' money without any problems," they assessed, "are obviously not capable of showing up to work and doing the job they were elected to do."
Valentina Minić from the Democrats says that it is irresponsible and inappropriate for the current government in Bar to treat the part of the citizens who have given them their trust, as well as the entire community, in this way, "because it cannot provide the conditions for decision-making on important issues."
"It is truly impossible to explain to citizens that DPS, as the largest ruling party in Bar, is boycotting itself, and thus its coalition partners from SD. This stalemate, in my opinion, was a blatant example of putting inter-coalition squabbles and personal interests ahead of the general," said Minić.
When asked why they did not ensure a quorum this week, she replied that at the last session they wanted to show civic and political maturity and responsibility, by giving the SD the opportunity to continue the session with their presence, but that, despite that, there was no quorum.
Since they are on opposite sides ideologically and programmatically with DPS, she said, it would not be natural for anyone from the opposition to "replace" their missing councilor, especially since, she said, it is the obligation of every government to ensure the smooth functioning of local self-government, and thus the most important institutions for citizens - local assemblies.
"There is obviously a crisis of power, but I think that this time, instead of elections, the citizens of Bar will get some shaky extensions, because the current 'modus operandi' of the current government in Bar has shown that the personal interest of a few people heals even deep wounds eaten away by necrosis," concluded Minić.
The Europe Now Movement (PES) also wondered whether there was still a ruling coalition in Bar, assessing that the councilors of the ruling majority had once again shown a complete lack of responsibility and disrespect for the citizens who elected them.
"The repeated lack of a quorum required to hold the session and ignoring obligations clearly indicate that their personal and party interests, or rather the division of the spoils, are placed ahead of the common good," concluded the Bar PES.
Nenezić: It's normal for excused absences to occur
Nenezić announced the day before yesterday that Bar is a "bastion of democracy and freedom", and that "normal, democratic practice everywhere in the world, including here, implies that representatives in the local parliament can be justifiably absent", which, he reminded, happened on Wednesday.
"It should be emphasized that the local parliament in Bar is an example of respecting laws and procedures, we do not have 'WhatsApp' and 'Viber' sessions and decision-making, which we witness when we look at the situation throughout Montenegro...", he stated.
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Nenezić told the opposition: "If you were concerned about the lack of a quorum, why didn't you contribute to holding the session?"
The Bar branch of the Democrats reacted to this by saying that "the crisis in the functioning of the Bar Municipal Assembly was not caused by the opposition, but by the DPS."
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"We would like to point out that it is not correct for Mr. Nenezić to hold anything against the opposition, bearing in mind that the coalition agreement with Sanjim was not signed by the Bar opposition, but by its political ally - the Bar DPS. Secondly, we remind the public that the crisis in the functioning of the local parliament was also not caused by the opposition, but by the DPS - Mr. Nenezić's largest coalition partner, whose councilors did not appear at the session in March...", they announced.
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