Jelena Dubljević: I think that I am worthy and brave, that I can do a lot

Montenegrin basketball has come out of the crisis, Jelena Dubljević was elected today as the president of the Basketball Association of Montenegro (KSCG) - at the extraordinary Electoral Assembly in Podgorica, the legendary basketball player defeated the previous president Nikola Peković and took over the leadership of the Association.

At the Assembly, Dubljević received the support of 42 delegates, while 38 voted for Peković. Also, a new Board of Directors was elected, which will hold its first meeting on Monday, when, according to the new president, it might be known when it will finally start. senior and leagues in younger categories.

"To say that I am happy and honored is an understatement. I think that this is, first of all, a personal achievement for me, a life achievement. I thought about this during my career, I knew somewhere and wanted to try new things. I think it's time for new things I'm taking over the Alliance at a not-so-best moment, where a lot of things are waiting for me. The most important thing is finished, now the beautiful moment begins...", Jelena Dubljević said in an address to the media after the end of the Assembly.

For the first time, the delegates chose between two candidates. Until today, there was always one candidate, and Nikola Peković, Igor Lukšić, Milo Đukanović and twice Veselin Barović received unanimous support.

"There is division and there will always be division. We all have our favorites. I want to thank Nikola for the fair and always correct relationship that we have had for years, not only now, and it is important for everyone to know that. As for the division - I I said in my plan and program that my goal is to find a common reason to gather and discuss. We all have the same goal, which is basketball in Montenegro and the progress of Montenegrin basketball," said Jelena Dubljević.

The Montenegrin senior league has not started, nor have competitions in younger categories. This is precisely the most important point, and the president hopes that matches could be played as early as next weekend.

"I will focus on what is in front of me and what I have to finish with my team. After our best year, what happened happened - a huge loss for basketball, a loss for the kids that the league hasn't started yet. The kids have the biggest minus, they missed out a lot of games. But that's how it is, let's move on. Our goal is to unlock the league as soon as possible and I hope to see all those kids and seniors on the field next weekend."

She also explained why she accepted to be first a candidate for president, and then president of the KSCG.

"Honestly, I consider myself a worthy and brave person and that's why I accepted this. I think I can do a lot. I stand by what I said in the plan and program. There will be other and better things. I'm sure there will be more things, I think that the Board of Directors will expand, there will of course be more funds, because our goal is for the Board of Directors to bring finances and therefore some plans, and the commissions that will be in charge of developing basketball will be able to do their work. I think they will be able to do that mutually to work as we planned."

The new president assures that she will be ready to listen to every opinion, because that's the only way basketball in Montenegro can move forward.

"I think the president should be a team player, because otherwise there is no improvement. My goal is not to act as someone who cannot be reached. I will be in the Association, I will be dedicated to basketball and that is why I am here. Therefore, I should have an open attitude to everyone and to listen, because if I'm going to listen, then I'll be able to change some things. As I said - I hope for better days of Montenegrin basketball. When the league starts, it will be better. Let's create a plan and program for the future, which will Put Gora in the place it deserves."

By winning the 11th place at Mundobasket, the men's Montenegrin national team qualified for the Olympic Games. The previous president, Nikola Peković, said in September, at a reception with then Prime Minister Dritan Abazović, that Montenegro would apply for the organization of the tournament. A few days ago, the portal "Basket News" announced that the hosts will be Puerto Rico, Spain, Latvia and Greece.

"That was in the daily work plan that I found. There is a meeting of the Board of Directors on Monday, so we will talk about that as well. As far as I can see, I think it will be late, that there are some proposals. There are huge funds, and we in this at the moment we are in huge debts. We will see first what is the priority, which is to start the league and to move forward," explained Jelena Dubljević.

When asked if she still sees Peković in the Alliance, Dubljević answered:

"We didn't think about it and didn't talk about it. We were dealing with my plan and program, which is demanding, so of course - if he, as my friend, expresses his desire, nothing is excluded. But, at this moment, we didn't talk about it, because we have more serious problems, rather let's think about those things. He gave a lot to Montenegrin basketball and European and world basketball, so he deserves it."

"BOŠKO RADOVIĆ DESERVES TO REMAIN SELECTOR"

The men's national team achieved a great result at the Mundobasket last summer and won 11th place. Last year at the Eurobasket, the team reached the round of XNUMX, where they lost to Germany. On both occasions, the selector was Boško Radović, with whom the national team achieved good results, and whose contract expired.

"Boško Radović's contract has expired, so we will talk about it already on Monday. The national team has obligations in February (qualifications for the European Championship), so there will certainly be talks about it. One by one - the most important things will be a priority, and that is for the league to start. At this moment, I am speaking as a former player - Boško produced the best results, so he deserves to stay," said Jelena Dubljević.

CHRONOLOGY

The previous months in KSCG were very turbulent. Originally, an extraordinary Electoral Assembly was scheduled for June 9 in mid-May, because Pekovic decided to check whether he still has confidence. And then the Assembly was moved to June 16, and the agenda of the KSCG Assembly, which was prepared, was not voted on, which is why there was no election for the most important role - the president of the Board of Directors. At that time, 34 members of the Assembly voted for the agenda, 35 were against, with eight abstaining.

Then, at the end of September, Peković announced that "KSCG is paralyzed by a few people - the President of the Association Assembly Radoslav Jovanović and several members of the Board of Directors."

This was followed by the answer of Jovanović, who said that he did not influence the making of any biased decision.

Peković reacted to this - the president of the KSCG said that Jovanović "misled the public and did not schedule the Assembly due to obstruction, for personal reasons, fear, pressure."

Jovanović responded with a new announcement in which he scheduled a meeting for October 3 to prepare for the Extraordinary Session of the Assembly.

In the end, the extraordinary assembly was scheduled for October 20, but it was not held, because there was no quorum. At the session, 38 delegates appeared, out of 84, five (43) were missing for the quorum. It was clear then that new presidential elections were looming, but the announcements continued even after that.

Then Peković launched an initiative to schedule an Extraordinary Electoral Assembly, so a meeting for the preparation of the Extraordinary Electoral Assembly was scheduled for October 30.

Then a session of the Board of Directors of the Basketball Association was held, the body whose mandate expired in January. Eight members, who were at the session, considered that regardless of the fact that their mandate has expired, the Management Board can function in a technical mandate, and they recalled that one session was already held in mid-April and that President Nikola Peković attended it. .

After that, Igor Lukšić announced that he was giving up his candidacy, Jelena Dubljević entered the game, who won today.