Thewesternbalkans
Montenegro’s parliament voted on 23 July a government reshuffle that will include ministers from the pro-Serbian and pro-Russian “For the Future of Montenegro” (ZBCG) coalition, as well as the party representing the country’s Bosniak minority. The reshuffle is in accordance with a coalition agreement signed at the time of the government’s formation in October last year and allows prime minister Milojko Spajić to include representatives of ethnic Serb and Bosniak parties in his cabinet, in order to secure their support in the assembly. A total of 53 members of the 81-seat parliament voted in favour of the enlarged cabinet.
The reshuffled government includes seven deputy prime ministers, twenty-five ministries, and a minister without portfolio.
“This government is guarantor of stability and maturity. We show that Serbs and Albanians, Serbs and Bosniaks, Serbs and Montenegrins – all can live and work together. We shall be a beacon for the entire Balkans,” Spajić said during a parliament session.
However, for the opposition Democratic Party of Socialists, this government reshuffle is unacceptable. They described it as political horse-trading and a struggle for positions and personal interests. Montenegrin President Jakov Milatović, who publicly fell out with previous ally Spajić earlier this year, commented on X that Montenegro is currently an example of the most “primitive political bargaining and irresponsibility that Prime Minister consistently demonstrates in governance”.
The European Commission closely monitor the political processes in Montenegro and pointed out it is crucial that the political forces continue to act constructively, in order to build the necessary consensus on progress in reforms related to the EU in all areas. “We strongly warn against any decisions that may threaten the country’s strategic path to the EU, which is supported by the vast majority of Montenegrin citizens,” said the spokeswoman for the EC.
Comment: After the approved reshuffle, it is the largest government in the history of the Montenegro, small country with a population of some 620 000 people.
However, the reconstructed government may have a bigger majority in parliament but its component parts are at odds with one another on key policies.
Тhe new composition of the cabinet faces strong criticism, both from opponents inside the country and from external partners such as EU and United States.
One of major accusation against Prime Minister Spajić is of making decisions dictated by Belgrade and Moscow, and that the government’s actual leader is Andrija Mandić – one of the leaders of ZBCG coalition and current parliament speaker. The Coalition, which includes Andrija Mandić’s New Serbian Democracy and Milan Knežević’s Democratic People’s Party, had previously supported Spajić’s government in Assembly, holding significant positions in the state administration and public enterprises, especially in the key energy companies.
The US Embassy in Podgorica has already expressed concern stating that they are worried about the inclusion of parties and leaders, who, as they stated, do not condemn Russian aggression in Ukraine and oppose EU sanctions.
