The buildings housing state institutions are not anyone's personal or family property, and the head of state Jakov Milatovic He is not here to fulfill the "musical wishes" of the first man of parliament. Andrija Mandić (New Serbian Democracy), which should direct its authority towards the drafting and adoption of laws on the Parliament and the Government.
This is how the office of the President of Montenegro responded to the question of "Vijesti" - what Milatović thinks about Mandić's proposal that the presidential building in Podgorica belong to the highest legislative house, and that the only seat of the head of state be in Cetinje.
On the other hand, Mandić's office did not answer the editorial staff's question about why the parliament needs the head of state's building. However, the newspaper was unofficially told by the Parliament that the idea of merging the older buildings (near the highest legislative chamber) into a parliamentary complex "has been around for a long time," and that the president's seat would be in the capital. The newspaper was not told who exactly had this idea, when exactly it existed, and what it entails.
Last week, Mandić said at the Prime Minister's Office that he believes that the headquarters of certain institutions should be in Cetinje, as stipulated by law.
"... Just as I think it would suit the Assembly if this presidential building belonged to us, and his only seat was in Cetinje," Mandić said at the time.
According to the Law on the Capital, Cetinje is the residence of the President of Montenegro, as well as the headquarters of the Constitutional Court, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Culture. The capital is currently home to the residence of the head of state and the headquarters of the Ministry of Culture and Media.
Milatović's office told "Vijesti" that, in addition to his office in Podgorica, the president, in accordance with the Law on the President, also performs his duties in the residence in Cetinje, as well as in other protocol facilities.
"This year alone, he welcomed the presidents of Italy (Sergio Matarella), Slovakia (Peter Pellegrini) and Estonia (Alar Karis), President of Moldova (Maja Sandu) and North Macedonia (Gordana Siljanovska Davkova), Chancellor of Austria (Christian Stocker), as well as the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (Kaya Callas), along with other important events, receptions, decorations, ceremonies, presentation of credentials and other state activities," the response reads.
They pointed out that, at the same time, the current convocation of the Parliament during Mandić's mandate did not respect the Law on the Capital, which stipulates that the first session of the spring session be held in Cetinje.
They said they encourage the head of parliament to use his authority to "finally begin drafting and adopting the law on the Assembly and the law on the Government, which are of key importance for the functioning of the institutions," noting that at this point only the Law on the President exists.
"The buildings in which the institutions are currently located are not anyone's personal or family property, not Mr. Mandić's, nor any other public office holder's. They belong to the state, regardless of who is in office. Ultimately, the president of the state is not there to fulfill the 'musical wishes' of any individual official, including the Speaker of the Parliament Andrija Mandić," they stated.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), whose headquarters should be in the capital, told the newspaper in early November that they would only hold certain activities in the building of the former Russian embassy in Cetinje, such as meetings during visits by foreign diplomats, or heads of diplomacy.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said at the time that they had conducted an analysis of all necessary activities relevant to the possible relocation to the former Russian embassy building.
“In this context, certain challenges have been identified relating to the location and spatial constraints of the facility, working conditions, as well as budgetary aspects of equipping and organizing the transportation of officials,” they said.
President of the Constitutional Court Snezana Armenko Last year, in an interview with "Vijesti", she stated that she believed that the seat of the institution she heads should be in the capital, and that plenary sessions should be held in Cetinje, in a manner determined by the Constitutional Court.
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