By merging with the Workers' Party Maksim Vučinić and the Real Montenegro Marko Milačić New Serbian Democracy (NSD), leader of that political entity Andrija Mandic puts the pro-Serbian political bloc under control and is implementing a project to "build" the NSD so that it can compete with the two currently strongest parties - the ruling Europe Now Movement (PES) and the opposition Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS).
Thus, the coordinator of the Center for Civil Liberties (CEGAS) Boris Marić and assistant professor at the University of “Donja Gorica” Nikoleta Djukanovic answer the question of "Vijesti" - what symbolic message is sent by the arrival of some pro-Serbian parties under Mandić's "plum".
The newspaper announced on Saturday that Prava would merge with NSD, thus ceasing to exist as a political entity. A source for "Vijesti" from Prava said that they had communicated with NSD, and that the decision to join the party was made at the party's organs in the middle of last month. He also claims that part of Prava's membership was against it.
The interlocutor said that the decision to join the NSD came about due to "unifying the Serbian electorate", recalling that they have so far acted in a coalition with the party led by the head of the Assembly.
Prava was formed in 2018, and has been led by Milačić since then. In late 2023, the party signed an agreement on organizational cooperation and unified political action with the NSD's coalition partner, the Democratic People's Party (DNP). Milan Knežević.
The Workers' Party also made the decision to merge with Mandić's party in early November.
"I am proud to be with Maksim Vučinić today, a young, smart and educated gentleman, the son of a great fighter for workers' rights. Janko Vučinić", I have the privilege of starting a new era of political alliance that his late father and I started long ago," Mandić said on that occasion.
Prava and Radnička were part of the coalition "For the Future of Montenegro" (ZBCG) in the parliamentary elections on August 30, 2020, when the three-decade-long DPS government was overthrown. They also participated in several local elections in the same arrangement.
Radnička was formed in 2015, and until 2019 was part of the Democratic Front (DF) alliance. That coalition consisted of the NSD, DNP, and the Movement for Change, as well as several smaller parties, and disbanded ahead of the 2023 parliamentary elections. Mandić's and Knežević's parties continue to operate together as the ZBCG.
According to the results of a public opinion poll presented in mid-October by the Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CEDEM), ZBCG has the support of 23,5 percent of citizens. DPS, according to the same findings, is supported by 25,8 percent of respondents, and PES 20,3.
Solving the problem of fragmentation
Speaking about the merging of Prava and Radnička into the NSD, Boris Marić says that Mandić has placed himself and his party at the center of the former DF, or the current ZBCG coalition. He states that the head of parliament is the "headquarters", and that therefore it can be said - also the ideologist of ZBCG. He explains that the "formula", in essence, is simple.
"When asked how to solve the problem of fragmentation of this ideologically and programmatically close political offer, Mandić offered himself and his party as the centerpiece of a coalition in which all these smaller entities can find their interests or, better said - their leaders or narrow leadership structures," Marić told "Vijesti".
He assesses that a new phase is now being realized, which is developing after the "substantial entry" of the ZBCG into power and Mandić's arrival at the head of the Parliament.
"Mandić skillfully uses the position of the Speaker of Parliament politically, comparing it to that of the Prime Minister and often creating the impression that many decisions cannot be articulated without him. This gives him additional political momentum and encourages small entities, or rather their leaders, to strengthen their position through negotiations and immersion in the political entity of the NSD. Mandić and his NSD are thus trying - and partly succeeding - to largely translate the hitherto looser connection and coalition form into a system of party cohesion," the interlocutor points out.
He claims that it can be concluded that the trend of joining the NSD will continue in some form.
"Because the project of building the NSD to the level of competitiveness as a party to PES and DPS is obviously being implemented," says Marić.
Strengthens organizational and negotiating power
Recalling that for years there were up to a dozen parties in the Parliament with one MP each - which, if they had run independently in the elections, would have been below the threshold - Nikoleta Đukanović says that Montenegro has a huge number of political entities, many of which have a parliamentary status that does not correspond to their real support.
Against this background, she explains, Mandić is using his position as the most experienced politician and, for the pro-Serb bloc, the undisputed leader, to "unify" that political space to the greatest extent possible and bring it under his control.
"The message to the public is that he is consolidating the political scene and strengthening his organizational infrastructure," Đukanović told Vijesti.
As he adds, Mandić is thus sending a message to political competitors that he is strengthening his power by absorbing smaller actors - those who, on the one hand, would have no political status without him, and, on the other, those who have become instrumentalized and intoxicated by the political influence that the head of parliament has accumulated in recent years.
The interviewee states that she expects Mandić to continue to "spread the umbrella of the NSD over everyone he can control or manipulate."
"There are two types of subjects in that group: those who practically do not exist without him, so bowing to them is the only way to remain politically relevant, and those who obey him for emotional or, as they call it, 'rational' reasons, completely accepting his dominance and political leadership," believes Đukanović.
She says that, in both cases, the logic is the same - if the NSD grows, Mandić will strive to unite all parties from that political pole, in order to strengthen his negotiating power in government and towards partners.
Mandic measures his muscles with Knežević too
Answering the question of what message Mandić is sending to Milan Knežević by "taking away" Prava, which had a cooperation agreement with DNP, Đukanović replies that a balance of power is in effect.
"By taking over Prava and not following Knežević in his political moves, Mandić demonstrates that he determines the rhythm and direction of that political bloc. This political race with Mandić is currently being convincingly lost not only by the opposition, but also by a part of the ruling parties that either did not want to follow his political steps, or did not want to agree to the role of a subordinate in implementing his, but also other people's, political goals," believes the interlocutor of "Vijesti".
Marić states that Knežević is increasingly coming out with "autonomous political actions", trying to strengthen his own position and that of the DNP.
"So far, research suggests that it has undisputed parliamentary status, but it cannot compete with the NSD. However, the game is dominated by Mandić. Both structures and both political entities, as key factors in the ZBCG coalition, are cause-and-effect linked and they are aware of it," he believes.
As he adds, the logic of leaders certainly implies that there can only be one at the top, but, he claims, Mandić in particular, but also Knežević, have shown that they know how to act tactically and control political ambitions when necessary.
"They have shown in some cases that they can turn mutual disagreements into new political action. Behind that is a clear political goal that they are pursuing, whether we like it or not," Marić concludes.
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