Kosovo awaits session: DNP initiative to recognize Kosovo already has the necessary majority in Pljevlja

The initiative of the Democratic People's Party (DNP) to adopt the Declaration on the Annulment and Non-Recognition of Montenegro's Decision to Recognize Kosovo already has the required majority in the local parliament in Pljevlja, after it was signed by 18 councilors of the ruling coalition, the number necessary for its adoption.

According to the Law on Local Self-Government, a request to convene a session requires the support of one-third of the councilors, but the proposers have already secured the number of signatures required to adopt the declaration when it is on the agenda of the Municipal Assembly. After collecting additional signatures, the initiative should, as announced, be submitted to the Assembly procedure within the next ten days.

The initiative has so far been signed by all ten councilors of the New Serbian Democracy, two councilors of the DNP, independent councilor Ratko Pejović, two councilors of the Movement for Pljevlja of Novica Stanić, as well as three out of four councilors of Democratic Montenegro. The only councilor of the Democrats who did not support the initiative is Milojica Tešović.

He told "Vijesti" that he sees no reason why this topic should be discussed at the local level when it is within the jurisdiction of the Government.

"This is a state issue and I don't see the point in discussing it at the local level, especially when such declarations do not essentially help the Serbian people in Kosovo. Montenegro should be our first priority, and this declaration has no special weight. After all, the government in Serbia has not formally recognized Kosovo, but its actions show that it is practically one step away from doing so," said Democratic councilor Milojica Tešović.

It is expected that United Montenegro councilor Dejana Petrić will also support the initiative, which would further increase the number of signatories.

The DNP announced that they would also submit the text of the initiative to the councilors of the Europe Now Movement, who have three mandates in the local parliament, as well as to the independent councilor Milomir Drobnjak. After that, within ten days at the latest, the initiative should be submitted to the President of the Municipal Assembly, Jovana Tošić, who would be obliged to schedule a session at which the councilors would discuss the Declaration on the Annulment and Non-Recognition of the Decision on the Recognition of Kosovo. Tošić, who comes from the ranks of the Democrats, is one of the councilors of that party who signed the initiative.

The initiative was launched by DNP MP Vladislav Bojović, with the explanation that the local parliament should take a position on, as he stated, "the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo."

Some councilors, however, believe that the local parliament is dealing with an issue that is not within its jurisdiction. Independent councilor Milomir Drobnjak He previously stated that as a lawyer and legalist, he does not support the Municipal Assembly expressing its opinion on foreign policy issues, stating that they are the exclusive jurisdiction of the Government.

"As a lawyer and legalist, I do not accept that the local parliament deals with issues that are under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Government. The gentlemen from the DNP were in the Government until recently and my question to them is: Why did they not put this issue forward at one of the Government sessions? So, my opinion is that in this country everyone should do things within their jurisdiction and be responsible for the consequences of their actions or inactions, whether it is political or legal responsibility," Drobnjak previously told our newspaper.

The opposition also made a similar assessment. The head of the DPS parliamentary group, Marko Tošić, assessed that this was political populism and an attempt to divert attention from local problems, emphasizing that the initiative was outside the scope of the local parliament's jurisdiction.

"This is pure and very transparent populism, with which the initiators primarily want to justify to their voters for six years of disinterest and silence on this topic while they were in the government," said Tošić.

The Zeta Municipal Assembly recently adopted a similar declaration annulling the decision to recognize Kosovo on the territory of that municipality. The declaration was voted for by councilors from the DNP, New Serbian Democracy, one councilor from the Democrats and three independent councilors, while the DPS councilors did not attend the vote.