The first internal party elections in the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) were successfully completed. With this, we have shown that we are introducing new standards on the Montenegrin political scene - announced the newly elected president of the DPS, Danijel Živković, this evening in Podgorica.
The membership of DPS today elected Živković as the party's president, and Aleksandra Vuković Kuč, Abaz Dizdarević, Ivan Vuković and Jevto Eraković as vice-presidents.
"After this day, the DPS comes out much stronger and of better quality in its content. The elections are the result of many months of preparation and work. I would like to thank all the members, activists, party secretariat, who worked hard and diligently", said Živković tonight at a press conference in the premises of DPS in Podgorica.
He added that DPS shows strength and is ready to face all challenges.
"It is clear to everyone that the DPS is unique, that it will remain unique. We will have a changed approach and model of action regarding party and field work. In the next twenty days, we will equip expert teams and work on the issues of education reform, sustainable economic policy, health... This leadership will do everything to improve DPS qualitatively and substantively," said Živković.
He said that the election to the post of head of the DPS represents a great responsibility for him, because, as he stated, the DPS is a state-building party.
"This is a new challenge in my life... We want to return to decision-making politics".
When asked by "Vijesti" how the policy of the new leadership will differ from the policy of the DPS under Đukanović, Živković replied that the party "clearly and firmly stands on the foundations of civil society, multinational politics, politics that provided a Euro-Atlantic perspective for Montenegro Burning".
"As for those program goals, there is nothing much to change, because we have established what is the basic platform in Montenegro. And as for the way of political action in the coming period, it will be different because we are in the opposition. From the opposition, we will program what is our vision of the future development of the state system in various areas. What is crucial is that we will be even more dedicated to field work, visiting municipal organizations and even more dedicated to the problems of citizens".
Asked whether an extraordinary congress will be held before the internal party elections where the new Main Committee (GO) of the party will be elected, Živković said that the first step is the election of the president of the municipal committees by April 15, and the next step is the organization of the congress and the GO.
"When it will be, we will decide at the party bodies," he added.
Živković, the former acting head of DPS, was the only candidate for president. He is the fourth leader in the history of that party, after Momir Bulatović, Milica Pejanović Đurišić and Milo Đukanović.
Direct elections were entered into the DPS Statute in January 2021, at the party's extraordinary congress. According to that document, they should have been held no later than January 24, 2023.
However, the DPS explained that the intra-party process was not carried out within the stipulated period due to preparations for the presidential and parliamentary elections held last year.
Đukanović headed the DPS from 1998 until April last year, when he retired after losing the presidential elections. After his resignation, the GO of the party appointed Živković as the temporary head.
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