Nikola Jovanović, the leader of the political group “Budva Our City,” has accused Mladen Mikijelj, head of the “For the Future of Budva” list, of soliciting support from the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) in exchange for offering them 30 percent of positions in the upcoming local government.

Jovanović’s remarks come in response to recent accusations from Mikijelj’s coalition, which labeled Jovanović a “traitor” for allegedly colluding with the DPS, and referred to him as an associate of the Kavača and Supša drug gangs.

“Mladen Mikijelj’s recent political missteps, as a puppet of the Budva City Criminal Group and figures from BIL, provide little more than entertainment for the public at this time. This individual, who physically assaulted a municipal official, Marijana Božović, and is currently facing legal action for his actions, is visibly losing his footing and resorting to absurd statements that no one believes. His propensity for violence against women merely to secure the mayor’s position and control a municipal budget of 65 million is alarming. His increasingly frantic behavior stems from the realization that he will never be mayor; betrayal is inherently tied to his personal and political conduct, and his political affiliation with the New Serbian Democracy has plummeted from 12 mandates to just 3. If Mikijelj had any sense of moral and political duty, he would have resigned following the electoral disasters that have earned him the nickname of ‘political gravedigger of NSD Budva.’ No one has done more damage to this party than his shortcomings, especially after physically attacking women in the assembly hall. Such valor is truly emblematic of his character,” the statement declares.

The statement continues, noting that “in any nation with credible institutions, individuals like him would be barred from public office following such incidents, relegated to the top of the ‘pillar of shame.’”

“The disturbances caused by this individual can be likened to the age-old proverb about the thief who loudly shouts: ‘Catch the thief!’ Thankfully, in Montenegro, the truth has long been established that the messenger matters greatly. The public now witnesses two contrasting versions of Mikijelj, both equally desperate. One Mikijelj implores us for reconciliation, practically weeping as he begs to form a government, with the understanding that he will forget the insults and slurs he has levied against us for the sake of power. The other Mikijelj accuses us of being criminals, criminals part of a drug cartel, and traitors, presumably to intimidate us against potential future violence,” the statement emphasizes, adding:

“Such a duality in political behavior and character has not been seen on the political scene for quite some time. With no one on his side willing to offer him sound advice, we urge him to preserve at least a modicum of dignity, if it still exists, and to refrain from further embarrassment through his actions and statements in the assembly hall. After all, not everything can be justified for the sake of securing a chair and a salary of 3,000 euros as director of the Coastal Zone. He served for 18 months under the DPS minority government, receiving 54,000 euros from them, thus rendering him unqualified to cast judgment on others. His affiliation with the DPS was lucrative; it’s evident that his current sentiment of ‘never again’ with them was irrelevant then. If he truly feels remorse, we encourage him to donate the 54,000 euros to charity as an act of genuine contrition. It is particularly degrading to see Mikijelj, through various channels, pleading with the Budva DPS for their support in local governance, offering them a 30% stake in power, as if their backing is a given, only to denounce them as villains when they do not comply—a glaring contradiction reflecting either a lack of principles or a strange duality, possibly both.”

In closing, the statement firmly suggests, “Mikijelj, for whatever difficulty and pain it may entail, must come to terms with the reality that he will never assume the role of mayor nor gain control of the municipal budget.”

“We will not permit his affiliates, OKG Budvanska and BIL, to squander municipal resources as they have been doing in Morski dobro. It would be a disgrace if they were to part ways, given that the authorities are soon to take action against them. Therefore, it is advisable for them to remain in a single location, namely the offices of Morski dobro, where the Government of Montenegro has gathered them, turning public institutions into hubs of organized crime,” the statement concludes.

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