Nikšić Parties Gear Up for Local Elections on April 13th
Local elections in Nikšić are set for April 13. Political groups, both established and emerging, assert their readiness for the elections, with coalition talks in progress. However, they are hesitant to disclose their negotiating partners and the leaders of prospective lists.
A source from the “For the Future of Nikšić” coalition informed “Vijesti” that they will once again present themselves as part of a broad coalition, which may be “enhanced by several civic lists”. It is highly likely that the Mayor of the Municipality, Marko Kovacevic, will lead their list.
In the March 2021 elections, the coalition comprised the Democratic Front (including New Serbian Democracy, Democratic People’s Party, Movement for Change), Socialist People’s Party, Movement for the Life of Nikšić, United Montenegro, Workers’ Party, Yugoslav Communist Party of Montenegro, Serbian Radical Party, Socialists of Montenegro, and the Party of Pensioners, Invalids and Social Justice.
In the leading opposition party, the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), a decision to act independently is under consideration.
“The final choice will be settled by the party’s governing bodies. The public will be informed about the decision and the list’s leader following that session. Regardless, we can confidently state today that we will meet the expectations of the citizens of Nikšić,” asserted the president of the Nikšić Municipal Board of the DPS, Boris Muratovic.
He expressed anticipation for the elections, believing that “outdated policies will be left behind and that Nikšić will have an opportunity to be governed by knowledgeable and capable individuals who will spur its development.”
“Throughout these four years, we have stood against ignorance, inertia, and unprofessionalism. Nonetheless, we have never opposed the city or its citizens; on the contrary, we have strived for the city’s best interests and proposed concrete solutions to enhance the quality of life for the people of Nikšić,” stated Muratović.
In the previous local elections, the DPS was at the helm of the “European Team for Nikšić” coalition, which also encompassed the Social Democrats, the Liberal Party, and the Patriotic-Committee Alliance.
The European Alliance, established last year by the Social Democratic Party, Social Democrats, and the Liberal Party, has informally indicated to “Vijesti” that they will participate in the Nikšić elections in this format, similar to their involvement in several past local elections.
According to Nemanja Vuković, the head of the local parliament, the Democrats’ governing bodies, especially the Municipal Committee in Nikšić, will determine how they will engage and potential coalitions. Unofficial reports suggest the Democrats may not run independently this time either.
“We are open to discussions with like-minded entities that uphold the values of August 30. Whether we run alone or in a coalition, I am confident that our achievements over the past four years justify our appeal, and we will present citizens with the best personnel and the highest quality program that will outline the future course of Nikšić’s development while continuing to elevate the quality of life for everyone through capital projects and attracting credible investors to create new jobs,” promised Vuković, who may likely lead the list, according to information from “Vijesti”.
In 2021, the Democrats led the coalition “Peace is our nation”, consisting of the “We Will Not Give Up Nikšić” movement, Demos, the Party of Pensioners, Disabled and Restitution, and “Plenum 083”.
Ugleša Urošević from the Europe Now Movement (PES) noted that these elections mark their first appearance as a local list, although they have not yet determined whether they will proceed independently or as part of a coalition. Unofficially, “Vijesti” has learned that they are leaning towards an independent candidacy.
“We had promising results in the presidential and parliamentary elections and anticipate success in the local elections, which often have distinctive characteristics as voters can behave differently compared to national elections. Thus, it is vital for us to present a quality development program to every voter in Nikšić promptly, and I am assured that this will be reflected in the outcomes, as the PES will bring added value compared to the previous local elections,” commented Urošević.
President of the Nikšić Civic Movement (GP) URA, Dušan Golović, stated that they have commenced preparations for the upcoming elections and are currently inclined towards an independent run.
“The party’s governing bodies will soon decide on our electoral strategy. I believe this will happen at today’s municipal board meeting. For now, we are mostly considering going alone. We have not yet chosen a list leader; that will be our next step when we also unveil our program,” remarked Golović, who is also a contender for the list leader position.
According to Mitra Barac, the president of the Nikšić SNP, they have yet to reach an official agreement with any entity, despite some informal discussions, the specifics of which remain undisclosed.
The SNP joined forces in Nikšić in March 2021 as part of the “For the Future of Nikšić” coalition. However, in June of the previous year, they collaborated with the Democrats in the local elections in Andrijevica, while in December, they partnered with the PES in the local elections in Berane. In Budva, they took part in a broader coalition involving New Serbian Democracy (NSD), Democratic People’s Party (DNP), Socialist People’s Party (SNP), and Movement for Change (PzP).
“In recent months, we have focused on strengthening our party infrastructure. It’s clear that after achieving excellent results in the local elections in Berane, Andrijevica, and Budva, the SNP has become a sought-after coalition ally, and we will definitely not enter into any collaboration with the DPS or their traditional allies,” stressed Barać.
The number of voters eligible to vote in the local elections in the municipality of Nikšić as of January 22, 2025, is 57,717, which is an increase of 251 votes from the parliamentary elections held on June 11, 2023. However, that is a decrease of 1,116 voters from the March 2021 elections when there were 58,833 voters, with a turnout of nearly 82 percent.
During that election cycle, the coalition “European Team for Nikšić” received 19,294 votes (18 councilors), “For the Future of Nikšić” secured 12,348 votes (11), “Peace is our nation” gathered 11,150 votes (10), URA obtained 2,140 votes (1), and the People’s Movement Miodrag Daka Davidović garnered 1,549 votes (1), whereas the SDP did not surpass the electoral threshold.
The current coalition government in Nikšić was formed in 2021 by ZBNK, the Democrats, and URA.
SEP aims for independence but welcomes alliances
The upcoming elections will introduce another political contender – the Party of European Progress (SEP), headed by former DPS Vice President and Prime Minister Duško Marković.
Matija Vujović from SEP shared with “Vijesti” that their current intent is to run independently in the elections but remains open to discussions about possible coalitions with political entities aligned with civic and European values.
“Any such initiatives will be decided by our party bodies, always considering the best interests of the citizens of Nikšić. Our primary aim is to facilitate change in Nikšić, establishing a new government that operates in the citizens’ interests and halting the practices that have caused difficulties in recent years,” Vujović remarked, adding that efforts are underway to form a local committee in Nikšić, which will precede a decision on the electoral list and its candidates.
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