Borovinić Bojović going to the government?

President of the Capital City Assembly and former Minister of Health Jelena Borovinić Bojović She could become the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of health - "Vijesti" learns from several sources.

According to one of them, Borovinić Bojović allegedly has the support of the ruling Europe Now Movement (PES) to take on the position, especially due to, as he claims, that party's dissatisfaction with the work of the Minister of Health. Vojislav Šimun (PES), “which has not done much to improve the health system”.

Another editorial source, from the government, says that the name Borovinić Bojović is being floated for the vice-presidential position, but adds that it is not yet clear what the position of the New Serbian Democracy (NSD) is on this.

On that issue, he said, there could be challenges because her husband, Borovinić Bojović, is an independent MP. Dragan Bojović, recently resigned from the Democratic People's Party (DNP), which left the executive branch, but is still formally with the NSD in the coalition "For the Future of Montenegro" (ZBCG).

"There is a positive attitude from the Prime Minister (Milojko Spajic"...and PES, but they are not yet sure if it can pass at the NSD level," claims the source, adding that the position of the ZBCG, or rather the NSD, is quite important for further decision-making.

A third source for "Vijesti", who is familiar with the discussions about potential personnel changes in the Government, says that it is true that Borovinić Bojović is being considered for the position of Vice-President, that she is aware of it, but that it is not yet certain what will come of it, because she is not a member of any party. She was elected to the position of head of the Podgorica parliament from the ZBCG list.

A position similar to the one for which Borovinić Bojović is a candidate existed in the Government before the reconstruction in the summer of 2024 - Vice President for Labor, Education, Health and Social Policy. It was held by Srđan Pavićević from CIVIS, a group that was on the list with PES in the elections.

The fourth source of information for the editorial office says that Borovinić Bojović is "supporting" the (opposition) initiative to remove her, and whose success depends precisely on the DNP, which, in addition to the state government, has also left the Podgorica government.

However, in the event that DNP votes for it or if Borovinić Bojović joins the Government and the Capital City Assembly is left without a president, it is questionable how the ruling coalition in Podgorica would elect the head of parliament (because it no longer has a majority) and whether, if that does not happen, it would be on the path to compulsory administration.

Borovinić Bojović was the leader of the list of the coalition "For the Future of Podgorica" ​​(whose backbone was the NSD and DNP) in the local elections in the capital in September 2024, as well as in the previous elections in Podgorica, held in October 2022. She was previously the Minister of Health in the Government Zdravka Krivokapića (2020-2022).

Borovinić Bojović did not answer the question of "Vijesti" whether it was true that she would become Deputy Prime Minister.

Last week, at the session of the Capital City Assembly, she said that the moment the initiative for her removal receives a sufficient number of signatures, she will schedule a session with that item on the agenda. Borovinić Bojović said this during the discussion on the Proposal for a Decision on Subsidizing Part of the Costs of Extended Day Care Services for Children in the Territory of Podgorica, after the presentation of the councilor from the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) Ksenije Aranitović.

The DPS councilor told Borovinić Bojović that she had taken over the jurisdiction of the Constitutional Court, because she had "given herself the right to determine 'whether a decision is constitutional or unconstitutional'". Aranitović had previously asked the president of the local parliament why she had not signed the draft decision and why it had not been submitted to the Official Gazette back in March.

"If the initiative for your dismissal is adopted, you can say that you do not respect the decision of the legitimately elected councilors in the Assembly of the Capital City... This is proof that you have no capacity and that you are irresponsible in implementing the decisions made by this Assembly. This is a classic abuse of official position," said Aranitović, adding that she believes that "Borovinić Bojović will not stay in that chair for long."

Borovinić Bojović replied that she had nothing against discussing her work, nor questioning her function.

According to the Law on Local Self-Government (Article 49), when the mandate of the President of the Assembly expires, the function of the head of the parliament, until the election of a new one, is performed by the Vice-President. The Assembly of the Capital City does not have a Vice-President, and in that case, according to the same article of the law, “the function of the President of the Assembly until the election of a new President of the Assembly shall be performed by a councilor who is from the councilors' club that has the largest number of councilors”.

The law requires the assembly to elect a speaker of the assembly no later than 30 days after the end of the previous speaker's term, but it does not specify what happens if they do not elect one. However, it is clear that if a speaker of parliament is not elected within 30 days, it would lead to compulsory administration, as the sessions of the assembly would not be able to be scheduled.

The initiative to dismiss Borovinić Bojović was submitted in early April by councilors of the Party of European Progress (SEP) in the Podgorica parliament, Ilija Mugoš i Jelena KneževićMugoša previously announced that they decided to take this step "because the government in the capital is not functioning."

In order for an initiative to enter the parliamentary procedure, it requires the signatures of 20 councilors, while the vote, which is secret according to the Statute of the Capital City, requires 30 “hands”.

The NSD, Democrats, Socialist People's Party (SNP) and United Montenegro said they would not support the initiative, while the PES and the Movement for Podgorica believe it will be as unsuccessful as the one to shorten the mandate of the Capital City Assembly, while the DPS, the European Union and Preokret said they would vote for it. The DNP has not yet made an official statement.

The initiative to shorten the mandate of the Capital City Assembly did not pass at the local parliament session on March 19. The initiative was submitted by the European Union, but 28 councilors voted for it - meaning that there was no required majority.

The Capital City Assembly has 59 councilors. The ruling majority, until the decision of Free Montenegro and DNP to withdraw from it, consisted of 31 councilors: the PES-Democrats alliance has 14 representatives, the parties of the former Democratic Front (of which DNP is a part) with minor partners have 13 councilors, and the Movement for Podgorica, close to the head of state Jakov Milatović four.

With the exit of Slobodna (one councilor), and then DNP (which has four representatives) from the city government, the ruling coalition "fell" to 26 councilors, and must seek the support of at least four opposition representatives in order to "survive" and have a majority for important decisions.

No government reshuffle yet

Borovinić Bojović could enter the executive branch after the reconstruction, which has been announced since the end of January, in order to fill the positions that have been vacant since then due to the DNP's withdrawal from the government.

The DNP did this after the government refused to support their demands to resolve identity issues. These demands were preceded by Knežević's party's opposition to the construction of a wastewater treatment plant in the Zeta settlement of Botun.

As "Vijesti" reported, the director of the Podgorica city company "Putevi" Radoš Zečević is the most serious candidate for the position of Minister of Transport. Maja Vukićević from the DNP held that position.

NSD MP Jovan Vučurović is being mentioned as the new minister without portfolio. He could replace the current minister Milutin Butorović (PES) in that position.

It is not yet known whether someone - and if so, who - could replace Milun Zogović (DNP) as Deputy Prime Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, and whether that position will even exist anymore.

Vučurović told Nova M in early April that the government reshuffle could take place this month. He confirmed that he was a candidate for minister, adding that "it all depends on Spajić and the agreement within the majority."