The former German ambassador Gudrun Elizabeth Steinaker has not yet been declared an honorary citizen of Ulcinj because the Parliamentary Committee for Elections and Appointments estimated that for such an act a change of the SO statute is necessary, while in the OO SDP, which launched the initiative, they believe that powerful individuals from the top are behind the procrastination DPS.
The president of the OO SDP, Skender Elezagić, claims that "it is obvious that behind the scenes they are trying to obstruct the idea and prevent the adoption of a decision by procrastinating indefinitely".
"It is completely clear to us that Mrs. Steinaker, with her fight for Solana, disrupted the intentions of some influential individuals from the very top of the DPS to use this space to earn multi-million profits, regardless of the environmental consequences and that for them, certainly the idea that she awarded with the title of honorary citizen of Ulcinj, it does not fit in the least", said Elezagić to "Vijesta".
The president of the Selection and Appointment Committee, Sabri Salaj, who recently resigned from that position, said that the problem is of a technical nature.
"We discussed this initiative at the committee and concluded that it is necessary to amend the statute and adopt a rulebook on who, why and for what reason can be declared an honorary citizen of Ulcinj," Salaj said.
He did not directly answer the question of how the Prime Ministers of Albania and Kosovo, Edi Rama and Hashim Thaci, became honorary citizens of Ulcinj without a special regulation.
"That's not a question for me because I wasn't there then," said Salaj.
The head of the local parliament, Ljoro Nrekić, said that "as far as the Assembly is concerned, nothing is in dispute, but the councilors must wait for the Board to submit a decision for adoption".
Elezagić said "that everything that happens with our initiative is the best proof that this city is governed by some invisible hand outside of it".
"Even though the initiative was formally accepted by all councilor clubs of the current ruling majority in the Ulcinj parliament, it cannot be included on the agenda. The Force club even at one of the past sessions asked for the proposal to be put on the agenda immediately, and the president of the SO repeatedly emphasized that the initiative is not disputed, but only the procedure needs to be formally implemented".
He stated "that it is unfortunate that they have such influence on the leaders of the current local government that they can force them to refrain from making decisions, the correctness of which they are personally convinced".
"SO Ulcinj has repeatedly and unanimously expressed its position on Solana, which it was Štajnaker who managed to impose, even as one of the conditions for Montenegro's further progress towards the European Union," said Elezagić.
In the explanation of the SDP initiative, it is stated that Steinaker "from the beginning of her ambassadorial mandate in Montenegro showed not only a great interest and a special attitude towards the natural beauty and economic potential of Ulcinj, but also a great willingness to be actively involved and help solve the many problems of the city ".
"Her frequent visits to Ulcinj, not only the official and informal ones, contributed to the fact that the people of Ulcinj began to feel that she is their fellow citizen. It would take a lot of space and time to list all the reasons why Mrs. Steinaker deserves to become an honorary citizen of Ulcinj. But for this only one opportunity is enough - her immeasurable contribution in the fight for the restoration and protection of the area of Ulcinj Saltworks", the explanation states.
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