Citizens in the plus, the government in the ditch: Who are the winners and losers of the announced election of Perić as the head of the Podgorica parliament?

Announced election Srdjan Perić (The upheaval) for the head of the Podgorica parliament cannot be seen as an individual victory for the parties that should support him. The biggest winners could be the citizens of the capital, because the introduction of compulsory administration would be the worst-case scenario for Podgorica. On the other hand, the biggest losers are those who worked to bring about this sequence of events - the current government in Podgorica.

Thus, the interlocutors of "Vijesti" comment on who are the winners and who are the losers in the arrangement according to which Perić should become the first person of the capital's Assembly.

He is expected to be elected to that position tomorrow, and in addition to his Preokret party, councilors from the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), the European Alliance, the Democratic People's Party (DNP), the Party of European Progress (SEP), as well as a representative of the Movement for Podgorica, have also announced their support for him. Drago Vučinić, despite the announcement by that councilor's caucus that it would not vote for Perić. If the announcements are confirmed in the assembly hall, the leader of Preokret will have the majority needed for election - 31 votes.

However, the announcement of Perić's election did not go without a storm. He and Preokret were criticized for years for pursuing a "neither government nor opposition" policy, and part of the public assessed the DPS and DNP's support for Perić's candidacy as a coalition with those two parties. Perić denied such assessments, emphasizing that the two parties did not condition their support on specific demands.

The authorities said that a coalition was being formed to remove the mayor of Podgorica. Saša Mujović (Europe Now Movement), and that DNP's support for Perić is an introduction to the party's cooperation Milan Knežević, which until recently was part of the government, with DPS... Knežević rejected these allegations the day before yesterday, saying that DNP will not overthrow Mujović with DPS.

The opposition did not “remain indebted” to the ruling structures, accusing them of actively working to put the capital under compulsory administration. This is a temporary mechanism by which the government takes over the management of a municipality when the local parliament is not functioning. In that case, the executive branch would appoint a board of trustees to govern the city until the next elections.

Every deal has value.

Docent at the University of Donja Gorica Nikoleta Djukanovic She told "Vijesti" that she believes that the biggest beneficiaries of the announced arrangement are the citizens of Podgorica. She assessed that forced administration would be the worst possible scenario for the capital, and that the responsible parties should not allow it to happen.

"In that sense, every agreement that enables the functioning of institutions and avoiding institutional blockage has a certain value for citizens... In general, I do not think that this is a victory for DPS, DNP, the European Union, SEP or Preokret individually. All political parties are trying to politically capitalize on the existing dysfunction or the position they have in government, but the focus should remain on the interests of citizens and the functioning of the Capital City," she stated.

When it comes to Preokret, Đukanović reminded that from its very foundation, it was a political entity that did not want to identify with any of the existing political blocs, adding that their basic message was that they would support good policies and quality solutions, regardless of who they came from, and that they would oppose decisions that were not in the interest of the development of the city and its citizens.

"At the moment when the Capital was left without a Speaker of the Parliament, space opened up for Preokret to take on the role of a corrective factor and try to contribute to overcoming the political deadlock. From that perspective, I interpret accepting responsibility for the position of Speaker of the Parliament as an attempt to ensure the functioning of institutions, and not as a classic coalition arrangement," the interviewee concluded.

She stressed that she therefore believes that the criticism directed at Preokret is unjustified, adding that if the party's primary goal was to enter power and distribute functions, it could have done so immediately after the 2024 elections, as numerous political actors who make up the government today have done.

"Instead, Preokret remained outside the executive branch and only in a situation of institutional blockade did it accept responsibility to contribute to overcoming it," said Đukanović.

Former Speaker of the Podgorica Parliament Jelena Borovinić Bojović She resigned from that position at the end of May. She said at the time that “a new ruling situation had arisen that had not been formalized,” accusing the opposition of wanting to become the government without elections.

There was no vote for compulsory administration.

Journalist at the weekly "Monitor" Zoran Radulović He told "Vijesti" that, if Perić's election were to be implemented, then the losers would be those who had been working on introducing compulsory administration in Podgorica since the end of last year.

"In my opinion, these are PES, Democrats and New Serbian Democracy. This other side, or rather this new 'majority', could be considered a winner only in the way that they stay up to date with the events in the capital. How capable they will be of actually taking over some of the powers of the executive branch - I doubt that, because it is easier to agree on something when you are against it than to find a common solution for something you are for," he said.

Radulović stated that he understood Preokret even when they said they did not want to be part of any majority, but also today when they are close to the position of head of the Podgorica parliament.

"As a resident of this city, any possibility of an agreement is a better solution for me than introducing compulsory administration," he added.

Commenting on the possible dismissal of Mujović, Radulović says that the mayor had good and bad moves, but that "it is not in the national good" for his possible dismissal to be perceived as tragic, adding that he was elected by the parliamentary majority, so he can also dismiss him.

"... There is a common interest in the capital city assembly preserving its legislative and control functions. Because here we have had the intention of the government for six months, until recently, to introduce compulsory administration in the capital," the interlocutor assessed.

He said that citizens certainly did not vote for compulsory administration, and that, no matter how the parties are grouped, it will be a reflection of the will of the citizens, rather than compulsory administration.

"... When we ask how DNP will deal with DPS - just like the Movement for Podgorica, which led its entire campaign on the idea that it would not go with the previous majority, so it went with them. We know them and they know us, there is nothing unusual about it...", Radulović concluded.

Better control of government possible

Perić said on Facebook that Preokret will not enter the executive branch in Podgorica, and that there will be no backroom deals or political bargaining. He stated that, if elected as the Speaker of the Assembly, it will enable the local parliament to perform its control function, that is, that control of the executive branch will be improved.

Djukanovic says that better control of the executive branch is partially possible.

"The Speaker of the Parliament certainly has certain mechanisms to improve the transparency of work and open up space for a more serious discussion of the decisions of the executive branch. However, it should be borne in mind that the possibilities for opposition action in our system are still limited, so it would be excessive to expect a fundamental change in the balance of power based solely on this function," she added.

When it comes to the DNP, Đukanović says it is difficult to speak of a clear gain or loss, emphasizing that support for Perić represents a pragmatic attempt to avoid further political crisis rather than a strategic victory for any individual party.

She said that if such an arrangement contributes to a more stable work of institutions and more efficient decision-making in the interests of Podgorica, then its success will be measured precisely through the benefits for citizens, and not through the short-term political gains of individual parties.

Đukanović: Is there responsibility for failures?

Nikoleta Đukanović said that it is interesting that the so-called "new majority" has managed to form a government in the capital for the second time after 2020, but has failed to maintain it, and that this raises a serious issue of political responsibility.

"How is it possible that political actors who received the trust of citizens to govern the city failed to ensure the stability and functionality of the government? And do they feel responsible for the situation that led to the institutional crisis?", asked the interviewee.