TIRANA, October 31 – Lawmakers in Montenegro have voted to form a coalition government that includes pro-European as well as pro-Russian and pro-Serbian parties, nearly five months after general elections that ended inconclusively while citizens protested against new speaker of parliament, Andrija Mandic, in front of parliament building in Montenegrin capital, Podgorica.
Following an overnight debate, 46 MPs of the 81-member parliament voted for a government coalition formed by the centre-right pro-European Democrats, pro-Serbian Socialist People’s Party, and five parties representing the Albanian minority on Tuesday morning.
Prime Minister Milojko Spajic, who will lead the coalition, said under his leadership the country – which joined NATO in 2017 – will continue its long pursuit of European Union membership, as well as targeting economic development and a stronger standing in regional affairs.
“Our four main foreign policy priorities are full membership … in the EU, active, credible membership in NATO, improvement of good relations with neighbours and strengthening of the country’s role in multilateral organisations,” Spajic told deputies.
Spajic’s Europe Now party won the snap vote on June 11 with 25.6 percent of the vote. That came after the party’s candidate Jakov Milatovic defeated Milo Djukanovic, who had headed the country for three decades, in presidential run-offs in April.
The pro-Serb and pro-Russia alliance, For A Better Montenegro, led by Andrija Mandic, agreed to back Spajic’s cabinet in exchange for the position of parliament speaker. It will also gain four ministerial posts after a government reshuffle tentatively scheduled for the next year.
Mandic’s alliance stands in clear opposition against the pro-Western policies of the previous government. It is against the recognition of Serbia’s former breakaway province of Kosovo and international sanctions against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
Part of this conglomerate government are three Albanian deputies and Nik Gjeloshaj will be the deputy PM and Minister of Economy while two other deputies will have ministerial posts.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Montenegro on Tuesday for talks with the new government as part of a tour of Western Balkan nations. /argumentum.al
