By Ljubomir Filipović
The Bishop of Budimlje and Nikšić, Joanikije, has openly supported PM Zdravko Krivokapić and Speaker of Parliament Aleksa Bečić in Nikšić. In this, one should read the clear support for the coalition that these two leaders achieved at the local level. Although he did not openly support the Ne Damo Nikšić (We Won’t Give Nikšić Up) list, it is clear to everyone that PM Krivokapić is personally behind this movement.
However, as there is a disagreement with the Democratic Front (DF), and Mr Miodrag Daka Davidović as well, PM Krivokapić has risked a serious defeat because the list led by his advisor had very little chance of passing the census. Imagine how much respect and political authority a PM of a country who can’t win the census in his city would have.
The Democrats, who saved in the same way Mr Miodrag Lekić who had a similar leadership path as PM Krivokapić, came to his aid. It’s just that PM Krivokapić‘s journey from DF to Democrats happened much faster.
In this way, PM Krivokapić will temporarily hide his defeat and prolong his political life, but the result of the URA Civic Movement in the elections will also be very important for assessing the legitimacy of this Government.
Although many believe that the biggest fight between the former and the new state Government is taking place in Nikšić, the fight between Mr Vučić‘s Montenegrin Serbs gathered around DF and those who still oppose it, although weaker, is much more interesting and uncertain. With the election of Porfirije as patriarch, Bishop Joanikije loses power within the church and is aware that with the strengthening of DF, his authority in Montenegro would be even weaker. That is why he decided on such a political move.
It only remains to bless URA, because as things stand in Nikšić, it seems that DF has caught a good start. It remains to be seen if anyone will trip it up before the jump.
With the problems relating to the Prosecutor’s Office and the police director, DF is just about to ask for a Government reshuffle, and a favorable result in the Nikšić elections could be the trigger for that.
