The elections in Montenegro are crucial for the European future

2023-06-11 11:49:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Extraordinary parliamentary elections are being held in Montenegro. Voting centers opened at 7:00 am on June 11 and will close at 8:00 pm.

According to the official data of the institutions of Montenegro, 542,468 citizens have the right to vote in these elections.

15 electoral lists of coalitions and parties, confirmed by the State Election Commission in Montenegro, participate in the competition.

The parties and coalitions that are participating in these elections have promised better lives, higher wages and pensions, favorable housing purchases and increased social benefits.

Such promises have dominated the entire electoral campaign.

Why are these choices important?

These extraordinary parliamentary elections could end a nearly three-year political crisis in Montenegro where two governments were toppled through no-confidence motions.

The election result could produce a functioning government that Montenegro has not had since April 2020, when the Democratic Party of Socialists, then led by Milo Djukanovic, lost the election.

Various international media and political analysts said in recent days that these elections will be decisive for the future of Montenegro as voters will have the opportunity to decide to support parties and coalitions, some supporting the West, others supporting Serbia as well as such supporters of Russia.

The result of these elections will show whether Montenegro, as a small country of the Western Balkans, members of NATO, will offer more to the European Union and advance in the integration processes.

These are the first parliamentary elections in the last 30 years in which the former president of Montenegro, Milo Djukanovic, who lost in the presidential elections held in April of this year, is not participating.

Previously, on March 16, three days before the first round of presidential elections, Djukanovic dissolved Parliament and called early parliamentary elections, citing ongoing turmoil within the government and lack of progress towards membership of the European Union.

The June 11 elections are the 12th parliamentary elections since the introduction of the multiparty system and the sixth since the independence of Montenegro in 2006.

Montenegro has been a member of NATO since 2017 and a candidate for EU membership since the end of 2012.

Montenegro opened all 33 negotiation chapters, the last one in June 2020, and closed three.

What have the political parties promised?

The leader of the Europe Now Movement, Milojko Spajic, during the election campaign, has been very active in giving promises regarding the increase of the average salary, which he promised to make to 1000 euros. As for the minimum wage, he said it will be 700 euros. He also promised to increase the minimum pension to 450 euros.

As he explained, the prerequisite for the implementation of this is the one-year fiscal consolidation and the reduction of non-productive expenses up to 200 million euros.

Koalicioni i udhëhequr nga DPS-ja, në krye me Danijel Zhivkoviqin, premtoi rritje të pagës bruto për 50 për qind dhe pension minimal prej 350 eurosh.

Për rritjen e pagave ka folur edhe Millan Knezheviq, i cili udhëheq dy parti nga Fronti Demokratik pro-serb i përçarë së fundmi në zgjedhje.

Edhe Lëvizja për Ndryshim, e cila deri vonë ishte pjesë e FD-së, premtoi se paga mesatare, nëse do të ishte pjesë e Qeverisë, do të ishte më shumë se 1000 euro dhe pensioni mesatar do të ishte 700 euro.

Mungesa e stabilitetit politik

Shumëkush pret që zgjedhjet e 11 qershorit t’i japin fund një periudhe bllokimi politik në të cilën dy qeveritë, të cilat erdhën në pushtet pas protestave të vitit 2020 të mbështetura nga Kisha Ortodokse Serbe, u rrëzuan pas votimit të mocioneve të mosbesimit.

In 2017, Montenegro joined NATO, a year after a failed coup attempt that the then government blamed on Russian agents and Serbian nationalists.

Moscow dismissed such claims as absurd and the Serbian government denied involvement.

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year, Montenegro – unlike Serbia – joined EU sanctions against Moscow, sent aid to Ukraine and expelled a number of Russian diplomats.

The Kremlin has placed Montenegro on the list of unfriendly states./ Rel