“I will perform my duties honourably, responsibly, professionally and in accordance with the law, always with full transparency and cooperation. Since the development of our city was hindered, I will try to launch positive initiatives and decisions and thus create conditions for accelerating its development in terms of economy and infrastructure, as well as to provide better conditions of life for our fellow citizens. Although we are representing different parties, I believe that our work will not be motivated by party interests, but only by the interests of our community. I’m sure we will have good communication and cooperation, and that we will address crucial issues in Bar”, Novakovic said after taking the oath.
Councillors of Demos and SDP councillor Osman Subasic were at the session during the voting, whereas councillors of Democratic Front (DF) and Socialist People’s Party (SNP) left it earlier.
Demos’s councillors left the room before Novakovic took the oath. Before that, opposition councillors fiercely criticised the ruling coalition’s proposal to replace Subasic by Novakovic.
Novakovic has not responded, although some of the opposition objections were so harsh that councillor for DPS Zarija Franovic protested against violation of Article 93 of the Rules of Procedure by such expressions.
As soon as the Mico Orlandic (Social Democrats – SD) proposed the new chairman, pointing out that Novakovic is a respected and proven businessman, the head of the renowned company Cakan Sport, a person who is recognised abroad as a philanthropist and that he will be able to lead the Municipal Assembly “in the right way, in accordance with the interests of all our citizens”, Srdjan Kalinic (Demos) started a series of opposition attacks.
“After Niksic, Budva and Podgorica, you will use the first chance to do the same thing along with those you are sharing power with. There is no moral or ethics either for you personally or for the “Negative party” (a sarcastic reference to the name of the Positive Montenegro). You have not fooled several individuals, you have deceived 1,400 opposition voters of PCG, 5,000 voters of DF and 1,600 voters of SNP out of your pathological desire to win the position of the Municipal Assembly chairperson, which you have not deserved. You will be a puppet, no one wants you here”, Kalinic said, among other things.
Zoran Tajic (DF) said that the alliance’s councillors would leave the room because of the redrawing of the electoral will of the citizens of Bar.
“Therefore, we require local elections to be held together with general elections in October – this is the best solution”, he said.
Snezana Jonica (SNP) pointed out that if the point was to emphasise Novakovic’s management skills, then he should have been nominated for the president of the municipality.
“One-quarter of seats in the Municipal Assembly does not belong to those who won voters’ support on the local elections and that is why we badly need early elections. Currently, there municipal public companies are illegally operating”, Jonica said.
