Having proclaimed the glory of Nikšić, the opposition goes to the Constitutional Court

The Municipal Statute was changed by the votes of the councilors of the ruling coalition yesterday, making it possible for May 12, the Day of Saint Vasilij Ostroški, to be the glory of Nikšić.

While at the session held at the end of December last year, by unanimous decision of the present councilors, it was accepted that the Day of Saint Basil of Ostrog should be the glory of the city, at yesterday's session, where the proposed decision to amend the Statute to institutionalize it was discussed, the councilors of the current opposition said that with the introduction of fame, non-Orthodox citizens are being discriminated against.

They called on the councilors to wait for the decision to be made until the Constitutional Court gives its opinion on it.

President of the Municipality Marko Kovacevic, however, told "Vijesta" that he believes that the Constitutional Court will confirm the decision on the legality of the proclamation of St. Basil and that the said decision cannot be compared with the one submitted by Herceg Novi and which was overturned by the court.

"The decision regarding Herceg Novi was made in 2004 or 2005, when Serbia and Montenegro were a state union, according to the then valid regulations. In the state of Montenegro, we already have a positive example of the Municipality of Žabljak, which brought changes to the Statute and proclaimed the baptismal glory, and which has not been questioned for five years. I don't expect that this initiative will fail in the Constitutional Court", said Kovačević to "Vijesta".

Member of the European Team for Nikšić Jelena Marković announced the filing of a constitutional appeal, while Nikola Zirojevic, councilor of the Social Democrats, said that he had already submitted changes to the Statute and the introduction of the Municipality's glory to the Constitutional Court for constitutional review. He requested that the aforementioned decision be removed from the agenda pending the ruling of the Constitutional Court.

"You are changing the tradition of the Montenegrin people and thereby violating religious rights. This is pure discrimination and abuse of position. In this way, the city becomes religious, which is contrary to the Constitution," said Marković, who also requested that the Protector of Human Rights give an opinion on whether this decision violates the constitutionally guaranteed rights of non-Orthodox citizens.

Zirojević, who is the head of the club of SD councilors, said that the constitutionality of that decision should be checked and reminded that the Center for Democratic Transition said that this move violates the Constitution and constitutes discrimination.

Independent councilwoman Tatjana Knežević Perišić she said that she voted for the draft decision expecting that the text of the document, after the public discussion, would get a different name and that instead of the slav, the patron of the city would stand, which, as she pointed out, would not violate the rights of non-Orthodox people of Nikšić. She also pointed out that the government wants to appropriate Vasilij Ostroški as a Serbian saint, and he has been a saint of the Montenegrin Orthodox Church for centuries.

Member of the European team for Nikšić Marko Burić he said that there is nothing in the image and work of Saint Vasilij Ostroski that can offend anyone or "separate us, but can only unite us".

"However, how we will interpret and how we will celebrate that day can influence that it can lead us to separation. This topic should not and should not divide us. Saint Vasilije is the patron saint of Nikšić, regardless of religious or national affiliation. It seems to me that we may have rushed a bit. At the same time, we should have considered the decision on the way to celebrate May 12, and this should have been presented to the citizens of Nikšić at the same session. This would send a message of love, togetherness, peace and harmony," said Burić.

He stated that the Club of Councilors, the European Team for Nikšić, had earlier suggested that the word "glory" be replaced by "Patron's Day", which, he believes, would dispel doubts and possible disputes.

"We are formalizing something that already exists. You had the opportunity to criticize when the councilor majority in Žabljak, which consisted of DPS, amended the Statute of that Municipality, which included the glory of that city. Don't let things like this divide us, because we are just formalizing something that is the identity of Nikšić. There are no evil intentions here, nor is this decision imposing anything on anyone", said the President of the Municipality and called the adoption of that decision a moral obligation.

President of the SO Nemanja Vuković he said that a public debate was organized regarding the changes to the Statute, where there were no interested citizens and no councilors from the ranks of the opposition.

"This is a unifying initiative. I think that we, as a local government, in the last two years have shown through our actions that we are in favor of this. The concept of the civil state is not violated, especially this initiative cannot do that," said Vuković.

The initiative to make May 12 the celebration of the Municipality of Nikšić was submitted by the Club of Councilors Democrats-Demos-Ne damo Nikšić, and the President of the Municipality then initiated the change of the Statute.

The session discussed the report on the work of the President of the Municipality and the work of local government bodies and services for 2022, the proposal for a decision on the adoption of the Local Social Housing Program of the Municipality of Nikšić for this year, the proposal for a program of incentive measures for the development of agricultural production, the proposal for decisions on changes to the decision on names of settlements, streets and squares on the territory of the municipality and on the management and use of the facilities of local communities' homes by local communities on the territory of the municipality, on reports on the work of public enterprises and institutions for the past year...

"We managed to return the Zeljezar, the Home for the Elderly finally opened, a project that was started during the previous government, in which we also participated. "Noblwood Adriatik" opened a factory in Nikšić where 200 people are employed, and in the next two years there should be another 200. Through the EPCG Solar project, 500 people are employed. As a local self-government, we did a lot of work on infrastructure. I think it's obvious that people can see for themselves that work is being done in Nikšić", said Kovačević.

Head of the Club of Councilors, European Team for Nikšić Boris Muratovic believes that too little attention was paid in the document to the city lighting project, which will cost the Municipality around 9,5 million euros.

"For that project, we had to make a joint decision here, to hear the arguments for and against that project, because it is a huge amount of money. We pay 882 euros for one light bulb, and we have a debt for 20 years. It is led lighting, the savings will certainly be greater in terms of electricity, but we have seen in the city that it does not work very well, but we are waiting for the installation to be completed. We had to pay more attention to this topic", said Muratović.

Member of the same coalition Rajko Perovic he said that some restaurant owners in Nikšić usurped Njegoševa Street and "walled off" the pedestrian crossing with glass, and if they look through their fingers, others should do the same.

The president of SO Nikšić, Nemanja Vuković, said that competent inspections initiated the procedure related to the usurpation of space, as well as that the Municipal Committee of the Democrats will file a criminal complaint for abuse of space in Njegošeja street.