Djukanovic does not give up, Krivokapic is shaken; "We will overthrow the government"

Djukanovic does not give up, Krivokapic is shaken; "We will overthrow the government"

The anniversary will be solemnly marked on Tuesday, December 7, the Government of Montenegro announced.

The first year of the government's work will be marked in an atmosphere of great political and institutional crisis in Montenegro, even deeper divisions and demands for the formation of a new government, i.e. a vote of no confidence in this government.

The Democratic Front, whose MPs have not attended the plenary sessions of the parliament since the removal of Justice Minister Vladimir Leposavic, due to the statement on Srebrenica and the adoption of the Resolution on Srebrenica, voted for at the beginning of summer with the support of Djukanovic's DPS.

The DF first advocated the reshuffle of the government, and the last step was to send the Platform for the election of a new government to all parliamentary parties, on which they should decide by December 10. On the other hand, the opposition parties led by the Social Democratic Party of Rasko Konjevic submitted to the Assembly an initiative for a vote of no confidence in the government of Zdravko Krivokapic. The initiative was signed by 40 MPs, and only one deputy vote is missing for the vote of no confidence in Krivokapić's government.

On the occasion of this initiative, one of the leaders of the Democratic Front, Andrija Mandić, spoke earlier, saying that it was more of a reason for the parliamentary majority to agree on the election of a new government headed by Krivokapić.

Djukanovic is coming back?

President Djukanović says that he is convinced that the initiative of no confidence in the government will be successful and that his DPS will give a decisive contribution to the fall of this, as he stated, anti-Montenegrin government. Djukanovic accused Krivokapic of pursuing anti-Serb and one-religious policies instead of his country's.

On the other hand, Prime Minister Krivokapić claims that history will show that Montenegro did not have a better and more competent government with more knowledge and skills than his. Krivokapic's government, which has one vice president and 12 ministries, was elected as an expert, and the only politician in it is URA leader Dritan Abazovic, in charge of security structures as vice president.

Abazovic opposes the entry of other politicians into the government and opposes the reconstruction and election of a new government. Despite great expectations from the new government, the first year of government was full of challenges for the unity of the coalition, and first for Prime Minister Krivokapic, because the entire political scene of Montenegro is still under a strong influence of DPS Milo Djukanovic.

The Law on Religion amended

The only success of the current government, apart from several laws, is the adoption of amendments to the Law on Religion, which was a pre-election promise of the winning coalition Together for the Future of Montenegro, led by Krivokapic.

The first year of work of Krivokapić's government was marked by bans, disagreements and protests against the enthronement of Metropolitan Joanikije of Montenegro and the Littoral in Cetinje on September 5. Judicial reform has not been implemented, and the fight against organized crime and corruption is not at the level desired by the European Union. On the occasion of the anniversary of Krivokapić's government, the US Embassy in Podgorica said that the results were lacking and that it was "vital for Montenegro that leaders from across the political spectrum and, more broadly, society as a whole set aside identity issues that divide them and focus on emergency task of accelerating Montenegro's accession to the EU".

"The picture is further complicated by the constant interference of the authoritarian Russian regime, which, with its political and religious proxies from the region and within the country, has found fertile ground in a deeply divided society in an attempt to divert Montenegro from its Euro-Atlantic path", Voice of America said.

Criticism from the EU

Criticism came from the European Union from the chairman of the European Parliament's delegation to the EU-Montenegro Stabilization and Association Parliamentary Committee, Vladimir Bilchik, who said the situation in Montenegro was problematic and negotiations with the EU were disrupted, as the last cluster has been opened four years ago.

"Now the parliamentary majority needs to reach a national consensus on reforms that are imperative for progress on the road to the EU in key areas - electoral legislation and the judiciary, which, I must say, is now pending," Bilcic said.

He stated that he asked the Ambassador of Montenegro to the EU about the deadline by which the crisis could be resolved, and that he answered that it was a "million dollar question".