President of Montenegro Jakov Milatović called early elections in Podgorica

(Patria) - In accordance with legal obligations and established deadlines, I have called elections for councilors in the Assembly of the Capital City of Podgorica. The elections will be held on September 29, 2024. When determining the date of the elections, in addition to legal deadlines, I took into account reasons of rationality and the fact that elections for councilors in the Assembly of the Municipality of Kotor will be held on the same day. I wish all participants in the upcoming electoral process a successful and fair campaign, and the citizens of Podgorica to get a government that will ensure the dynamic development of the Capital City, said the President of Montenegro Jakov Milatović.

We remind you that the councilors of the Podgorica parliament, at the session held on July 24, with the votes of the opposition and part of the ruling coalition, shortened the mandate of the assembly, thus creating conditions for calling early local elections.

The initiative to shorten the mandate of the city parliament was recently submitted by opposition councilors.

The former Minister of Justice and former official of the Europe Now movement, Andrej Milović, has scheduled a press conference for Monday, where, according to some media, he will present a civic list, which he will lead as its holder in the Podgorica elections.

The information that Milović could enter the race for the mayor of Podgorica by participating in the elections was published this morning by the Podgorica newspaper Vijesti, and then by Pobjeda. After Jakov Milatović withdrew from the position of mayor of Podgorica due to his presidential candidacy, Milović was mentioned as one of the more serious PES candidates for that position.

The head of the New Serbian Democracy's councilor club, Mitar Šušić, told Radio Montenegro that the party could participate in the local elections as part of the coalition For the Future of Podgorica. The civic movement URA has not yet decided whether to participate independently or in a coalition, but they announced that they will propose Luka Rakčević, the current deputy mayor Olivera Injac, as the holder of their list.

Rakčević led the GP URA list in the previous elections, held at the end of October 2022.

DPS spokesperson Miloš Nikolić claimed a few days ago that the Europe Now movement, fearing the upcoming elections, is negotiating a joint appearance of all constituents of the Government. PES says they will decide on their participation in the elections when the party president and Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajić returns from Paris, where he is attending the Summer Olympic Games.

The constituents of the newly formed European Alliance, which includes the Social Democrats, the Social Democratic Party, and the Liberal Party, have stated that they are convinced that their alliance will be the backbone of the future Podgorica government.

(Nevena Kovačević)