If the Democratic People's Party (DNP) Milan Knežević be excluded from the Podgorica government, which of the Prime Minister and the first man of the Europe Now Movement (PES) Milojko Spajić asks the mayor of Podgorica Saša Mujović (PES), the majority in the capital's parliament could be maintained by the entry of at least two opposition parties into it, not counting the strongest - the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), which can hardly be part of such an arrangement.
Mujović, as confirmed to "Vijesti" from PES, also demanded that Spajić break the alliance with the DNP at the state level, but if this were to happen, it would not, unlike the Podgorica case, endanger the Government, unless Knežević were joined by his long-time partners from the former Democratic Front (DF) - New Serbian Democracy (NSD). Andrije MandićHowever, the question is how realistic this is, considering that Mandić's party did not oppose the construction of a wastewater treatment plant (collector) in the Zeta settlement of Botun, against which Knežević is strongly protesting, threatening to leave power in the capital.
DON'T MISS IT
According to Television "Vijesti", the day before yesterday, at a meeting with representatives of the ruling parties in Podgorica, Mujović requested that due to the threats made by the DNP leader regarding the planned construction of a collector in Botun and, as he claimed, the "permanent untruths" he is stating about him (Mujović), he part ways with the DNP at the local level, "although he has nothing against their councilors", but also at the state level. The Podgorica PES committee unanimously supported Mujović's demands, saying that those who are not in favor of a "responsible relationship" can try to constitute a new majority.
The construction of the Botun plant is important for closing Chapter 27 (environment) in Montenegro's negotiations with the European Union (EU), which provided funding for the project. The government's goal is to "cross out" all chapters by the end of next year, so that the country can join the EU in 2028.
Given that the Capital City Assembly has 59 councilors, the support of at least 30 of them is required to constitute the city government. The ruling majority in Podgorica consists of 31 councilors. It includes the PES-Democrats alliance (14 councilors), the parties of the former DF with minor partners (13 councilors) and the Movement for Podgorica, which is close to the head of state. Jakov Milatović (four councilors). If the DNP, which has four representatives (by agreement with Prava Crne Gora, they have since gained a fourth), is expelled from power, the ruling coalition would be “reduced” to 27 councilors, and would have to seek the support of at least three opposition representatives to survive.
In that case, they would need the support of two opposition parties (excluding DPS) - the Civic Movement (GP) and the URA. Dritan Abazović, European Progress Party (EPP) Duško Marković or Movement Reversal Srdjan PerićThey all have two councilors on the benches of the Podgorica Assembly.
Although there is speculation in political circles that these political actors could be invited to replace the DNP in the Podgorica government, these parties claim that no one has contacted them on this matter.
"We have no contacts and have not even considered that option," GP URA told "Vijesti" unofficially.
Information that Abazović's party will not sign the DPS interpellation on the work of one of the Deputy Prime Ministers Alekse Bečić (Democrats), fueled rumors among a part of the political public that GP URA was thus creating conditions for being invited into power in Podgorica if Knežević's DNP was eliminated from it.
DON'T MISS IT
Preokret also unofficially says that they know nothing about a possible reshuffle of government, nor that anyone has informed them about it.
Marković: We don't want to bridge differences in the majority
SEP leader and former Prime Minister Marković told "Vijesti" that no one from the Podgorica government had contacted them, nor had they expressed interest in joining it.
"SEP is an opposition party in the city parliament. Our councilors have had a very constructive approach to issues of public interest and interest to the citizens of Podgorica. We have clearly shown this when it comes to the construction of the collector in Botun - both through parliament and with the publicly announced positions of our party," said Marković.
He said that the problems in the ruling coalition are not SEPs.
"We are not interested in mediating, nor are we bridging their differences and inability to work in the interests of citizens," Marković underlined.
He recalled that SEP publicly stated that the construction of the collector has their unconditional support, because it is "a matter of the health of the citizens of Podgorica, Zeta and coastal municipalities."
"Protecting the Morača River and Lake Skadar is not only an ecological, but also a health issue, and also a condition for the continuation of our European integration," the former prime minister and former senior DPS official emphasized.
Marković left DPS in June 2024 and founded SEP. He did not criticize his former party colleagues more harshly until last week, when he said that they enabled former Prime Minister Abazović to sign the Basic Agreement with the Serbian Orthodox Church. Therefore, the question arises - is Marković thus sending a signal that he is ready to enter into coalition arrangements with the parties that defeated the three-decade DPS regime in the national elections five years ago.
The NSD sees no reason for anyone to leave power.
In the event of Knežević's eventual expulsion from the city government, the dilemma is whether his long-time allies from the NSD would remain in it.
"Vijesti" was unofficially told by Mandić's party that they see no reason for anyone to leave power. They added that the NSD party bodies will decide whether they will remain part of the ruling coalition in Podgorica if the DNP is no longer there.
"For now, we don't see any reason for anyone to come out...", said the interviewee, stating that no one had discussed this as an option with them.
The DNP did not respond to the editorial team's questions about how they view the request from the mayor of Podgorica, and whether they expect that, if they are ousted from power, the NSD will go with them.
Although information about Mujović's request was published the day before last, neither DNP nor Knežević had commented on it by the time this issue of "Vijesti" was published.
In April last year, the DNP signed an agreement on organized cooperation and unified political action with Free Montenegro. Vladislav Dajković and the Right Marko MilačićDajković, answering the question of "Vijesti" whether he would stand by Knežević, replied that he "firmly believes" that no party in the current majority in the capital would even consider cooperating with DPS and Marković's party.
"However, if such a scenario occurs, we will clearly determine in just a few minutes how much time we need to organize an electronic session of the Podgorica board and put the decision to a vote...", said Dajković.
Bogdan Božović, president of the Podgorica branch of the Socialist People's Party (SNP), which was in coalition with the DF in the elections in the capital, told "Vijesti" that they had not received any information about the re-composition of the government, but that their position is that, if the DNP's alternative is DPS or SEP, they will not be part of such an administration.
The Democrats unofficially told the list that they would not make any decisions without agreement within the ruling majority.
“Test for Mandić”
An interlocutor of "Vijesti" from the ruling majority said in an informal conversation that the developments regarding the DNP are a test for Mandić, who, he claims, will have to show "whether the country's path to the EU or the interests of another country is more important to him."
Some government interlocutors, however, do not rule out the possibility that Knežević will find a compromise with PES, regardless of the messages from Spajić's party.
One of the interlocutors of "Vijesti" from PES recalled that the Podgorica committee of that party was unanimous in supporting Mujović's demands, claiming that the majority of the PES parliamentary group was in favor of "parting ways" with Knežević, while another stated that Mandić, when it comes to the collector in Botun, is not on Knežević's side, noting that no one from NSD has commented on the issue of the plant.
The Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property, which needs to issue a building permit for the construction of the collector in Botun, is headed by NSD's Slaven RadunovićHe announced in mid-September that the Ministry, when it receives a request for a building permit, will act according to the law.
Director of the Podgorica Waterworks Aleksandar Nišavić, told Television Vijesti on September 22 that the complete application for a building permit had been submitted, stating that he expected a response from the Ministry within the legal deadline of 30 days, but that he hoped for a faster solution "given the earlier support of the relevant Minister Radunović and Prime Minister Spajić."
DON'T MISS IT
The government is not in danger if the DNP is expelled.
Excluding DNP from the government would not shake Spajić's government, but it would not survive if, in the event that this happens, Mandić's NSD follows Knežević.
The ruling majority has 52 representatives in the 81-seat state parliament. If Knežević were to be expelled, the majority would be 48 (since the DNP has four), but if the NSD leaves (with its nine representatives), it would drop to 39 - two short of the minimum required to form a government. The DNP has two members in the government - Deputy Prime Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Milun Zogović and Minister of Transport Maja Vukićević.
Bonus video:
