Knežević: We will not support the proposed government reshuffle

President and MP of the Democratic People's Party (DNP), Milan Knežević, said in parliament today that the party will not support the proposed government reshuffle.

"The word given to us has no price. It has no price, nor can any chair or position in the 44th Government be put on a scale, in relation to the Serbian language, to citizenship, to the tricolor, the anthem and everything for which we received votes, in order to represent citizens in this, other parliaments, but also in the Government and local governments where we exercise power. If we were to give up what we fought for, we would send a message that we did not sincerely believe in what we were communicating to citizens," he said at the Assembly session.

He asked Prime Minister Milojko Spajić what the "general consensus" that was being awaited meant.

"Someone thinks that I should now beg for the Serbian language, for an anthem, citizenship and the tricolor so that I can have a more comfortable position in the government that we support. It doesn't occur to me. I also communicated everything I have announced to the public to Prime Minister Spajić," said Knežević.

He also reminds that the Bosniak Party (BS) did not leave the coalition with the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) in Bijelo Polje, which was one of the DNP's conditions for supporting the reconstruction.

"The condition for the DNP to support this reconstructed government was the timeframe for starting a dialogue on the Serbian language, citizenship, and the promise we heard from the BS representatives to leave the coalition with the DPS in Bijelo Polje. Nothing came of that. We did not receive an answer, but even when you do not receive an answer, it is an answer and we have taken it into account," Knežević announced, adding that they were "ready to make a sacrifice."

Spajić: No more land sales in Montenegro ever again

Prime Minister Milojko Spajić (Europe Now Movement - PES) said that Montenegro needs large investments, but that they will not be realized by selling state land.

At a session discussing the election of Majda Adžović as Minister of Public Works and Admir Šahmanović as Minister of Energy and Mining, he said that the increase in Montenegro's standards has so far been based on reducing the shadow economy and corruption, and that now an "investment component" will be added to this.

"Large investments are needed and a new investment boom is needed. Without large investments, there is no economic growth, no sustainable economic growth. Every country, and especially Montenegro, needs large investments. But they must not come in the way they have come so far. There will never be any more land sales in Montenegro. The state of Montenegro will exclusively go for a model of co-ownership and co-investment with large foreign investors, so that future generations will have large incomes from dividends and be able to finance healthcare, education and large capital investments. In order to keep up with these investments, public works must go to a higher level," Spajić said.

He stated that executive sessions should be an opening to "topics of public works and capital budget execution."

"Our capital budget, which is record-breaking, is being implemented too slowly and is below all the potential that the state of Montenegro deserves. We need to pay special attention to public works and capital investments," he added.

Spajić announced that the election of Adžović and Šahmanović will not result in an increase in the portfolios and number of ministers in the Government, but that they will remain the same, and that there will be no additional budgetary burden as a result.

He stated, among other things, that the energy sector should become "the number one investment potential."

"Energy is a bridge of cooperation for the entire region. Energy will be the first to create cooperation between the countries of the Western Balkans and the European Union. I hope that Minister Šahmanović will seize this opportunity," said the Prime Minister.

Spajić proposed that Šahmanović (Bosniak Party), who holds the position of Minister of Mining, Oil and Gas, be elected Minister of Energy and Mining, and that Adžović head the Ministry of Public Works, which should be formed.

Šahmanović was recently appointed coordinator of the Ministry of Energy, which until the end of last year was headed by Saša Mujović (Europe Now Movement), who was then elected mayor of Podgorica. The plan is to merge the ministry with the Ministry of Mining, Oil and Gas, which Šahmanović currently heads. These ministries were separated during the first restructuring of the executive branch.

Adžović is State Secretary at the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property.

Nikolić: Spajić and PES seriously threaten to become gravediggers of civic Montenegro

The head of the parliamentary group of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), Andrija Nikolić, said that the reconstruction of the Government to fill positions "in depth" would not have the support of that party.

He said that he understands the fact that there are no registered government representatives to speak on the topic of government reconstruction as "hesitation in relation to the proposal that Milojko Spajić came to parliament with."

"I think, Mr. Spajić, that the results of the local elections represent the greatest burden for you and that they seriously undermine your legitimacy and credibility to come to parliament and propose a reconstruction of the Government. From the status you have won, to be the largest parliamentary party, from election to election you are convincingly sliding towards the political margins. And today you are not the Prime Minister in full capacity and with full legitimacy. You are today the Prime Minister, imprisoned by the rest of the parliamentary majority. Why? And the results of the elections in Nikšić showed it - when you had the opportunity to decide which path Montenegro, and thus your political entity, would take, you decided at that crossroads to introduce nationalists into the Government. Now these nationalists are gnawing at you, eroding you, from election to election they are taking away part of your electorate, and you are sliding towards political irrelevance."

He says that DPS "won the elections in Nikšić" and that only the one who wins the most votes can be the winner. He says that they are satisfied with the results in that city and points out that they won 4.500 votes more than a year and a half ago, in the parliamentary elections.

"And you, in comparison to the parliamentary elections, lost more than 4.000 votes. Some of the disappointed PES voters returned to DPS, why? Because they saw that DPS is the pivotal force of civic Montenegro, and that you, through political mimicry, are feeding political nationalists and enabling them to increase their electoral strength through all the instruments of power that you have placed in their hands."

He said that Spajić and PES seriously threaten to become "gravediggers of civic Montenegro."

"You have entrusted citizens with the task of satisfying you in the elections. That is why I am telling you, your legitimacy as Prime Minister is very questionable and everyone in Montenegro knows that today. Therefore, the reconstruction of the Government in order to settle the functions 'in depth', and to continue to have those who essentially manage your Government strangle you, will not have the support of the DPS. We are strictly fighting against this and it is good that the idea of ​​a civic Montenegro is tenacious and that it survives thanks to the policies of the DPS. And this policy that you advocate, together with your partners in the Government, has been seriously shaken and is losing its legitimacy," Nikolić said.

Knežević: If it weren't for Đukanović, you wouldn't have taken 15 percent

Leader and MP of the Democratic People's Party (DNP), Milan Knežević, responded to Nikolić that he did not know that the DPS triumphed in yesterday's elections in Nikšić.

"I suggest that you dismiss (DPS president) Danijel Živković and formally appoint (honorary DPS president) Milo Đukanović as party president. Because if it weren't for Milo Đukanović, you wouldn't have gotten 15 percent of the vote in Nikšić. You should kiss his picture every day, because he has shown that the ultimate essence of DPS is the paradox of your political action. And since you are suggesting that we all unite, I suggest that you reinstate (former DPS deputy president) Duško Marković, and that he and Đukanović continue this DPS journey to ruin," he said, adding that the result of the DPS in Nikšić is "a headbutt into the new Montenegro."

"As long as you have Milo Đukanović, you will exist, but you will not be able to be in power. If you are not going to come together, it is better to break up," he stated.

Nikolić replied that those in DPS do not kiss anyone's pictures.

"We leave that to you and your relationship with (Serbian President) Aleksandar Vučić. I want to tell you one other thing, both to you and to your colleagues from the parliamentary majority - if it weren't for Milo Đukanović, Vučić would be your formal president, not just a substantive one," he said.

Mugoša: The government in this capacity is a mockery of citizens

The head of the PES parliamentary group, Vasilije Čarapić, assessed that the party, in the campaign for the Nikšić elections, did not have outbursts of nationalism and that they do not present themselves as "false citizens".

"In that context, we will be a corrective to the new government if we are its integral part, and I am sure that Nikšić, compared to the previous period, will have better representation of civic politics than it did before. I believe that PES in Nikšić will provide additional value... We remain the pivot of civic politics in Montenegro," he said.

The head of the Social Democrats (SD) parliamentary group, Boris Mugoša, said that the Nikšić elections served as a political sobering-up for some subjects, to strengthen their integrity, and not to serve to achieve "ideological, decades-long ambitions of partners in power."

"Whichever way you choose, good luck to you. You can choose the path of strengthening political integrity or disappearing from the political scene."

Speaking about the reconstruction of the Government, he announced that the executive branch in this capacity is "a mockery of the citizens."

"We have 26 ministers, seven deputy prime ministers, half of which are made-up positions. The prime minister has a chief of staff, a deputy chief of staff and eight advisors," he said, adding that "everyone is settled," and if necessary, "new ministries will be invented."

Bosniak Party (BS) MP Amer Smailović said that there is no European Montenegro without Bosniaks. He said that he gets the impression that the subject of the government's reconstruction is the development of Montenegro, not its political background.

"I believe that the government has been further strengthened and that we will continue with our European obligations," he said, adding that he would support the reconstruction.

DPS MP Ivan Vuković announced that DPS won the local elections in Nikšić and that this result is particularly important considering "the continuous political pressure on the people of Nikšić, which has lasted for the past four years, the importation of voters...".

"After yesterday's elections, it is completely clear that the local government in Nikšić has been completely politically delegitimized," he said.

When it comes to reconstruction, Vuković said that the question arises as to what the Ministry of Public Works should be used for.

"What public works? If all of us and the Prime Minister had a problem listing all the ministries, no one would have a problem listing public works, because after 2023 - there are none," Vuković concluded.

Čapuni: I will not vote for the formation of the Ministry of Public Works

Albanian Alliance coalition MP Ilir Čapuni announced that he would not vote for the election of Adžović and the formation of the Ministry of Public Works, saying that they do not know "neither the scope, nor the budget, nor the work plan of that ministry."

On the other hand, he announced that he supports the re-merger of the energy and mining departments.

Živković: Put amendments to the Constitution and the Law on Montenegrin Citizenship on the agenda

Commenting on Knežević's announcement that the DNP would not support the government's reconstruction, MP and DPS leader Danijel Živković said that "empty politics and anything that would signify politicking" should be avoided.

"Let's finally put these topics on the table, and let's see who in the Parliament is for amendments to the Constitution and who is for amendments to the Law on Montenegrin Citizenship. Stop beating your chests constantly about how you are fighting for citizens of this or that nationality... Put it on the agenda, and let's see if there is a majority. For the Constitution, you need a two-thirds majority, or three-fifths who need to go to the referendum. If that exists, go ahead and try to change the Constitution. When you talk about the Law on Montenegrin Citizenship, you don't need a two-thirds majority for that, but you have the opportunity to change that legal solution with forty-one votes. And don't engage in empty arguments here anymore and encourage your electorate. Instead, simply put it on the agenda and let's finish this job here in the Parliament if there is a majority," he said.