Attendance at plenums is not the only obligation of deputies, but also the preparation and analysis of comparative experiences, but they should be more active in order for citizens to have confidence in the parliament itself.
This is what the former long-time deputy of the Socialist People's Party (SNP) and Democrats assesses for "Vijesti". Neven Gosovic, commenting on the fact that some MPs have not spoken a single word in the parliamentary plenary hall in Podgorica since taking office until February 1, as shown by data from the Center for Civic Education (CGO) in a study entitled "MPs and interns need to do much better".
All parliamentarians whose voices the citizens could not hear during the sessions are from the ranks of the ruling majority - Ugleša Urošević, Gordan Stojović i Nadja Laković from the Europe Now Movement (PES), and Artan Chobi from the Albanian Alternative (AA), which acts as part of the Albanian Forum coalition.
Although they did not exercise their right to participate in the discussion of any issue that was on the agenda, in February citizens paid more than 8.500 euros for their "silence".
In February, Čobi received 3.105,71 euros in the name of the difference between the earned and paid salary for December and January, as well as the salary for February, because at the time when he entered the parliamentary position he was not performing it professionally, and the request to enable him to do so, which submitted on December 19, was approved by the Administrative Board in February of this year.
Stojović's salary for February was 1.695,95 euros, Laković earned 1.653,76 euros on the same basis, while Urošević received 702,65 euros based on the difference in salary.
According to the data published by the CGO, the deputy Seid Hadzic he also did not appear for the floor in Podgorica. However, there is a video clip on his official Facebook page where, during the session of the parliament in Cetinje, he appears for the floor and speaks for about three minutes. Hadžić added in the conversation that he was active on the Committee for Economy, Finance and Budget.
When asked by the "Vijesti" journalist why he never appeared for the floor, Čobi replied that "his appearances at the sessions will exclusively be related to topics on which he can give his opinion".
MP AA states that it is the voters who should judge whether it is fair to them, and that what he can guarantee is that "they will not be deprived of a fair representation of their interests".
Čobi adds that the work of a deputy consists of other obligations, apart from speaking in the Assembly itself, but also that he expects that in the future there will be "more topics related to the area and the voters he represents".
Stojović, Urošević and Laković did not answer the questions of "Vijesti".
They were somewhat more eloquent Vladimir Bakrač i Boris Pejović from PES who, since coming to the parliamentary benches, spoke for one minute and 31, that is, one minute and 32 seconds.
When it comes to Pejović, data from the Assembly that "Vijesti" had access to show that he "spent" a little more than two hours presiding.
Based on the difference in earnings, Bakrač earned 203,56 euros in February, while Pejović received 2.171,79 euros.
The following is a letter from the PES Dragana Vucevic who spoke for a little over four minutes, and Vaso Obradović from New Serbian Democracy (NSD), whose three presentations lasted about seven and a half minutes.
For the difference in Vučević's salary, citizens allocated 162,95 euros, while Obradović "cost" them 1.776,85 euros.
On the other hand, the members of parliament who were the most active in the same period were not "rewarded" when it comes to salary, because the length of the address in the parliament is not a criterion for determining the amount of salary.
In this convocation, the opposition MPs were the most active Andrija Nikolić from the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) and Dritan Abazovic from the Civic Movement (GP) URA who spoke for more than 4 hours and raised 2.219,15, i.e. 1.695,95 euros.
They talked for about three hours Milos Konatar (GP URA) and Milan Knezevic from the Democratic People's Party, which earned 2.229,68 euros each, and Ivan Vukovic (DPS) whose salary was 316,80 euros. Former MP Neven Gošović notes that a very significant part of the MP's work is done outside the public eye.
"In order to be able to carry out his function successfully, the MP has great responsibilities that require special time to study the submitted material, review comparative experiences and overall preparation for speaking at parliamentary committees, submitting possible amendments and speaking at the sessions themselves," explains Gošović. .
He points out that a passive attitude towards the parliamentary function is unacceptable and adds that an active attitude towards it stems from what is "the role of the parliamentarian in society and the interests of the citizens on whose behalf the parliamentarians perform their function".
"Citizens expect an active relationship from deputies, especially when it comes to passing laws that regulate social relations, and thus the rights and obligations of citizens. A passive attitude towards such important issues arising from the competence of the MPs sends a bad message to their voters. On the other hand, it is important to point out that modern technologies and social networks are changing the parliamentary rostrum and giving a new possibility of communication with citizens", assesses the interlocutor of "Vijesti".
Gošović notes that "it is extremely important that the overall work in the parliament be the primary source of all information that citizens need when it comes to legislative work and other competences recognized by the Constitution as competences of the Assembly.
"If MPs are not active, citizens turn more and more to what they hear on social networks. That's why their activity is important - to gain confidence in the parliament itself", believes the former member of the SNP and the Democrats.
Gošović recalls the period when he was a member of parliament and assesses that back then more time was devoted to preparing speeches in parliament than is the case today.
"Ćutologi" in the last convocation as well
Even in the last convocation of the Assembly, some deputies were almost inactive at the plenum. Three members of the DPS spoke for less than 30 minutes from the time they took office until May 2023, 10.
Mevludin Nuhodžić spoke for a total of one minute and 42 seconds, Branimir Gvozdenović for less than three minutes, and Nela Savković Vukčević for a little over four minutes.
On the other hand, the most active deputy of that convocation was today's Deputy Prime Minister Momo Koprivica, who spoke for more than 28 hours, followed by Branko Radulović (Movement for Change) with slightly more than 25 hours, and then Boris Mugoša (Social Democrats) who spoke around 14 p.m.
Bonus video:
