The Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) have filed a renewed initiative in Montenegro’s Parliament calling for the dismissal of Parliament Speaker Andrija Mandic. In the document submitted for parliamentary procedure, the two opposition parties accuse Mandic of engaging in a series of actions they describe as illegal, irresponsible, and harmful to Montenegro’s democratic integrity and EU accession process.
The initiative outlines several points of concern, including Mandic’s alleged failure to respond to a violent incident involving his brother and a security staff member, Danilo Mandic, who was arrested for injuring two citizens with an official parliamentary vehicle. The opposition argues that the Speaker has refused to clarify how an individual with a criminal record was hired as part of his security detail and why he had access to official resources.
DPS and SDP further claim that Mandic has deliberately weakened Parliament’s oversight role by obstructing control hearings, ignoring requests from the prosecution to lift MP immunities, and failing to advance legislation and appointments critical to meeting European Union benchmarks. They also criticise his prolonged delay in placing Montenegro’s participation in the EU’s mission to Ukraine on the parliamentary agenda, and his inaction on appointing members to key media oversight bodies.
Additionally, the initiative highlights Mandic’s alleged abuse of parliamentary procedures, including changing the Parliament’s official logo without due process, and his controversial visit to Banja Luka in support of Milorad Dodik, which they say amounts to interference in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s internal affairs. The opposition also questioned the legality of his dual citizenship and accused him of encouraging Montenegrin citizens to violate the citizenship law.
The opposition parties claim Mandic’s leadership reflects a broader political strategy to obstruct Montenegro’s European integration in favour of nationalist interests. They conclude that the Speaker’s continued actions justify his removal from office, marking the second such initiative in under two years.
