Vice president or deputy prime minister? It’s a topic widely discussed after the Prime Minister-designate, Mr Zdravko Krivokapić, stated that the vice-president, that is, his deputy, in a new government, if he manages to set it up, will be the leader of the Civic Movement URA, Mr Dritan Abazović. Article 102 of the Constitution of Montenegro prescribes: “The Government is comprised of the prime minister, one or several deputy prime ministers and ministers”.
Professor Đorđije Blažić elaborates on this legal issue and says that Mr Krivokapić can have a vice-president or a deputy, as there’s no law on government regulating this issue.
In Mr Blažić opinion, it’s a bit troubling that the Prime Minister-designate reduced the number of ministers. He makes a point of being clear about it – it cannot be done without prior adoption of the law on ministries, and the new government is going to be illegitimate because of it.
“Deputy prime minister or vice-president – it’s just a matter of terminology, as it’s the same thing,” he stressed.
Professor Blazić also notes that the law on government or law on state administration should regulate the issue of vice-president or deputy prime minister. The law on state administration regulates the ministries. The law on government should regulate the issue of vice-president. Vice-president or deputy prime minister, whatever you like to call it.
No legal basis for reducing the number of ministries
Speaking about the merging of ministries, Mr Blažić notes that it’s illogical to merge the Ministry of Finance with the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare.
He finds unclear the merging of education, science, culture and sports as well.
“The area of education and science might be merged. But it’s illogical to add culture,” he emphasizes.
According to him, it’s just the continuation of the already-known stories.
“Illegitimate institutions are still being established. If these are the changes, they should tell those stories to somebody else. There’s no legal basis to form ministries in a way they proposed.”
