Spajić's term expires, no congress in sight: PES does not announce when it will hold its second party assembly

Prime Minister Milojko Spajić Next week, his four-year term as head of the Europe Now Movement (PES) expires, and the party did not directly answer questions from "Vijesti" about when they will hold their second congress, whether Spajić will "compete" for a new term, and whether there will be other candidates for party president.

"The Europe Movement will now hold its second electoral assembly in accordance with its internal dynamics, party interests and within the framework of the law, about which the public will be informed in a timely manner," the response to the editorial board reads.

That the congress is planned for 2026 is evident from the PES work program for this year, which the parties submit to the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (ASK) and which is published on that institution's website.

"Finally, as an important political-organizational event, the holding of a regular electoral assembly (congress) has been announced, which should serve to summarize the results, define strategic directions for the coming period, and further strengthen unity within the Movement, while taking into account changes in political circumstances since the previous congress," the work program states.

PES was founded in June 2022, and they held their first congress on September 23 of that year. Spajić was elected president, and on that occasion his deputy (head of state) was also elected. Jakov Milatovic), Vice President Olivera Injac, current ambassador to Belgium and party presidency.

Milatović has since left the party, and Injac has left her party position by taking on a diplomatic position, but PES has not elected their successors in the positions.

Are there any opponents?

There was public speculation this spring that Spajić, if he were to run for president again, might have an opponent in that race. The head of the parliamentary group of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) Andrija Nikolić, announced on April 1 that it was an “open secret” that there was a “strong current” in PES led by the Deputy Prime Minister and member of the PES Presidency Filip Ivanovic, which is allegedly fighting to take over Spajić's party.

Ivanovic then denied the claims from the strongest opposition party, saying that Nikolić's allegations should be "taken seriously, since there is no warning at the end of the text that it is a humorous fabrication in line with today's times."

"I would not be surprised by this if, almost two years ago, I had not been asked at an important foreign address whether Andrija Nikolić could become a member of the PES Presidency if he left DPS and retained his parliamentary mandate. In my short-sightedness at the time, I replied that I thought that would not be fair to either Mr. Nikolić or DPS. Maybe I was wrong, or maybe it was cosmic providence that such wise men remained in DPS," wrote Ivanović on the "Iks" website.

He did not answer yesterday's question from "Vijesti" whether he would run for president of PES.

The question of whether there are camps in PES that would "challenge" Spajić was raised a few days ago by an announcement from the Prime Minister's advisor for digital media. Ana DulovicOn September 11, she posted photos on “Iks” in which she is wearing a jacket with the PES logo, with the caption “Team Mickey”.

What does the PES Statute say?

The PES Statute stipulates that the party's organs at the state level are the Assembly, the Main Board, the Presidency, the Executive Board, the Statutory Commission and the Supervisory Board.

It is stated that the Assembly is the highest electoral body of the party, and that it is composed of delegates elected in accordance with criteria established by the Presidency in a special act.

The document also states that the Assembly session can be regular or extraordinary, and that a regular session is held once every four years by decision of the Main Board, at the proposal of the Presidency.

"The decision determines the number of delegates and the proposed agenda, date and place of the Assembly session. The decision of the Main Board also contains the work reports defined by the Statute that are considered by the Assembly," it states.

The Assembly consists of the president, deputy president and vice presidents of the party, members of the Main Board, Presidency, Executive Board, Supervisory Board, Statutory Commission, presidents of municipal and city party committees, as well as elected delegates elected by the presidents of local committees with the consent of the Main Board.

This body, among other things, elects and dismisses the party president and deputy president, as well as vice presidents, members of the Supervisory Board and the Statutory Commission...

The statute states that the president represents and represents PES in public, and that his mandate lasts four years. Candidates for president and his deputy are determined by the Main Board, in accordance with the Statute.

The obligations of the party president are, among other things, to manage the work of the Presidency, propose an electoral list of candidates for deputies in the state parliament, propose an election program for the parliamentary and presidential elections...

Results

Under Spajić's leadership, PES had mixed results. The party had its best individual result in the 2023 parliamentary elections (25,5 percent), and Spajić became prime minister in late October of that year. That same year, PES candidate Jakov Milatović won a landslide victory in the presidential election.

The government, with PES personnel in key positions, has unblocked the country's negotiations with the EU, closing 15 chapters in less than three years, and significant progress has been made towards closing the remaining chapters, which the executive branch aims for by the end of the year.

The PES also became an associate member of the European People's Party, the largest group in the European Parliament.

Despite this, the latest public opinion polls show that PES's support among citizens is declining.

The results in the local elections ranged from "brilliance to despair" - from victories in Podgorica and Berane, to collapses in Budva and Nikšić.

Political opponents have often accused the PES of a "lack of resilience" towards the moves of the parliament leader. Andrije Mandić, stating that they are not principled enough, nor willing to oppose Mandić.