You’re reading a daily contextual review of the news that marked the previous day.
By Ljubomir Filipović, CdM analyst
Stijović deceived the public
Speaking in the public broadcaster’s TV show last night, Mr Petar Ivanović, according to reactions of the public, defended himself against the accusations of Mr Aleksandar Stijović, referring to per diems. He explained that all his trips in the period from January to September 2013 were paid on the same day in October because there was no money in the budget before. He showed documents and pointed out to travel reports, which are available on the government’s website.
Mr Petar Ivanović’s performance is arrogant. Undoubtedly, it’s also problematic when someone who is a high-ranking government official or is connected to him/her receives state aid, a subsidy or a loan. Maybe not from a legal point of view, but the moral one. Also, there are serious doubts over granting loans to the Abu Dhabi Fund, and the prosecutor’s office has already provided its opinion about it.
However, confronting Mr Ivanović with the cheapest possible trick over per diems cost Mr Stijović the most.
Mr Ivanović called on Mr Stijović to have a debate on a neutral site. If they are looking for neutral journalists, then the last night’s and Thursday’s programme makers definitely stay out.
Mr Stijović yesterday managed to visit the farm of Mr Marko Bato Carević, for whose construction MANS had filed a criminal charge to the Special State Prosecutor’s Office, SDT. The Minister is obviously not bothered with problematic projects and shows his care for the public interest entirely through politics.
But we gave him a chance and even encouraged him – to be frank.
Situation in health system is alarming
The country’s death toll has gone up by 40% since the formation of a new government. There are numerous reasons for this, but one definitely refers to the serious disorientation of the Ministry of Health. We are expecting the Russian and UK vaccines, but know nothing about the date. The situation with the Sinopharm’s vaccine is the same. Instead of negotiating with potential donors, Minister Jelena Borovinić Bojović keeps wrangling with them via the media.
Parliament’s sessions
The third extraordinary session of the Parliament is scheduled for tomorrow and MPs will discuss extraordinary “prosecutorial laws”. Judging by the statements of Mr Miloš Konatar of URA, it seems that they will vote against the adoption of laws this time. Experts warn that the adoption of amended laws could block negotiations with the EU. The Democratic Front, DF, played a great game ahead of the elections in Nikšić. The Civic Movement URA, and probably the Democrats, as well as MPs and ministers close to PM Krivokapić, required a postponement. If they vote against, and do the only right thing, the DF will use it as “a proof of cooperation” of part of the new government with the DPS.
Amendments to the Law on Child and Social Protection are a special story. In the wave of populism, URA took credit for this law, which will cost the budget of Montenegro more than the annual budget of the University, for example – and social and child protection for all children across Montenegro, especially non-vulnerable categories, won’t be provided.
The Social Democrats will propose an amendment to the law that would allow all children to receive child allowance, while URA has told they will be against it. Unconsciously, they fell into a trap they had set for themselves.
The fourth extraordinary session of the Parliament is scheduled for February 26. It’ll discuss Montenegro’s borrowing in the amount of 750 million euro, and maybe the opening of a parliamentary investigation, as proposed by the SDP.
Elections in Nikšić
While pics of a luxurious villa and tennis courts owned by the URA leader in Nikšić, Ms Tatjana Bečanović, have gone viral on social media, and while the DF is inappropriately addressing her, Prime Minister, Mr Zdravko Krivokapić, seems to have approached the Democrats and will run in the Nikšić elections with them. A very similar path as Miodrag Lekić – from the holder of the DF list to cooperation with the Democrats. Daka Davidović handed over his signatures and is going to the polls alone. He took the similar path to Mr Miodrag Lekić – from the leader of the DF list to collaboration with the Democrats. Mr Daka Davidović has submitted signature and will run in the elections alone.
The list close to the Prime Minister ‘We won’t give in Nikšič’ misused the verses of a poet from Nikšić, and were warned because of that by Mr Nikolić’s daughter Danica.
Miscellaneous
A doctor in the KCCG and the sister of the chief of the cabinet of the Minister of Health, well-known for waving weapons and Chetnik-inspired actions, posted insulting comments on social media about Montenegro and Montenegrins, cursing the “enemies of Serbia”.
Serbian Gendarmerie Commander, Mr Bratislav Dikić, was convicted by a first instance verdict of being involved in the 2016 coup attempt. He was released and returned to Serbia after four-year imprisonment in Montenegro. We can probably expect him on Serbian television in the coming period.
In an interview with VOA, Mr Januš Bugajski commented on undermining the Montenegrin identity and voiced his suspicions that Serbia’s President, Mr Aleksandar Vučić, was going to insist on the creation of a kind of a union of Serbia and Montenegro.
That’s all for today. Enjoy the rest of the day.
