Šehović: The cat-and-mouse game continues in Montenegro, talks about a new government are underway

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Talks about a minority government, as well as other options for exiting the political crisis, are being held at various levels, said the Vice-President and MP of the Social Democrats (SD) Damir Šehović in Montenegro.

Šehović assessed that 2021, in political terms, was a year of institutional, political, "and worst of all, value decline", which has not been seen in our recent multi-party history.

"I believe you cannot find any similar comparative example in the democratic world where the Prime Minister of a government that has lost the support of Parliament, and thus legitimacy, does not think of resigning, just as the parliamentary majority does not initiate a vote of no confidence in his cabinet," Šehović stated.

He stated that due to "their cat-and-mouse game", it was the citizens who suffered the most, as well as society as a whole, because they were the ones who "paid the price for the daily quarrels and rather primitive mutual discussions", which, as he added, even opposition representatives found unpleasant to watch every day.

"The standard of living of citizens is seriously threatened, unemployment is at its peak, the illiquidity of the economy and consequently the number of blocked companies are increasingly pronounced, we have long lost control of the epidemiological situation, the process of European integration is blocked, the international position and reputation of the country are seriously called into question, institutions are collapsing, and public discourse has been reduced to the lowest possible level, as primitivism and hate speech often take precedence over serious discussion in the public space, for which we have always been recognized even in much more challenging and politically sensitive times," Šehović emphasized.

He said that the "best diagnosis" of the current situation in Montenegro was given recently by the European Union's Special Representative for the Western Balkans, Miroslav Lajčak, who said that Montenegro has entered a "complete system blockade" and that the country has practically "disappeared in Brussels".

According to him, it is obvious that everyone is aware that with such a government, "we cannot move forward, and we have nowhere to go back".

"That is precisely why we need bold decisions that will push retrograde political and social structures, which have remained stuck in the 90s, to the margins, and at the same time open space for new political dynamics that would reset the existing unsustainable situation, and ultimately result in a new, broader, programmatically related parliamentary majority and a European Government. Sooner or later, it doesn't matter. It is important that the changes happen as soon as possible, because we have long run out of time to lose, as we need to make up for this completely lost year," said Šehović.

Speaking about the initiative to vote no confidence in the Government, he emphasized that the "few additional weeks requested for the preparation of the entire arrangement", which includes not only the overthrow of the existing Government but also a clear plan of political action that would follow, was the least that could be done to give Montenegro a chance to "return to the European track, from which it has clearly strayed long ago thanks to this government".

"So, the opposition consciously, very deliberately, and ultimately justifiably, I would say, took one step back, so that we could all as a society take two steps forward. You saw that the accelerated political processes that followed, in terms of opening up opportunities for cooperation between political actors who were previously entrenched in mutually opposing political trenches, proved us right that we acted correctly and responsibly," added Šehović.

He expressed confidence that the coming weeks and the "expected clearing of the political scene" will confirm this.

Šehović emphasized that the Social Democrats believe that the Memorandum on Cooperation between minority parties, SNP and URA represents a necessary condition for the new, previously mentioned political dynamics, which is needed if one wants not only to return from the wrong path to the European road but also to preserve the civic and multi-ethnic character of the state, as well as to reduce the increased tensions that have been "burdening us for a long time."

"And to all those for whom Europe is closer than anti-Europe, civic than nationalist, and a secular state than a clerical one, we in the Social Democrats represent, as we have always been, natural partners. But also a clear alternative to those who think they can play with these principles, use them for daily political purposes, and wave them around while doing the exact opposite," Šehović stressed.

The Vice-President of the SD stated that a stable pro-European majority necessary for achieving reforms can be secured.

"By rising above narrow party interests, by ceasing to gather around hatred towards any individual or party as a whole, but around values and programmatic principles. But also by understanding that the absolute state priority at this moment is political stability, which we do not have today, as well as achieving the broadest possible European consensus. And thus, an agreement on a new Government that would have the support of at least 49 MPs, without which there is no way out of the acting capacity status and unblocking of some of the most important institutions in the country," Šehović explained.

He emphasized that a clear European vision, courage, determination, but also the responsibility of this generation of politicians is needed, which will show through concrete steps in the coming weeks and months whether it is worthy of the current moment and the "value turning point" that society is facing.

"And precisely this struggle of values represents a kind of test of maturity for our new generation of politicians, who are slowly taking responsibility," Šehović pointed out.

He said that the SD is aware of the seriousness of the political moment and its own responsibility in the upcoming processes, as the second strongest opposition group in the parliament.