The recent criminal actions surrounding the Municipal Election Commission (MEC) elections reflect what a “reformed” DPS (Democratic Party of Socialists) might do if it regains power in Montenegro, stated Đorđe Vujović, the outgoing president of the MEC in Budva and former head of the Budva branch of the New Serbian Democracy (NSD), in an interview with “Vijesti” today.

“It’s either the state and Montenegro’s corrupt electoral system that will be taken aback by DPS and Nikola Jovanović (Mayor of Budva), or DPS and Jovanović will face repercussions for their unlawful actions,” Vujović expressed.

On Friday evening, the Municipal Assembly (MA) of Budva appointed a new five-member MEC, voted in by councilors from the “Budva Our City” list led by Jovanović, along with support from the DPS, the European Union, and the Civic Movement URA.

The coalition “For the Future of Budva” contested the appointment due to the fifth member being proposed by the Movement for Change (PzP), which does not hold any parliamentary council seats.

“The situation regarding the election of this commission in Budva is unprecedented in Montenegro’s parliamentary history. I urge citizens to realize that the Budva case is significantly worse than what happened in Šavnik, as it involves two grave precedents indicating legal and constitutional violations by both DPS and its affiliates. Nikola Jovanović, in his new coalition with the DPS and the SDP, is establishing disturbingly new norms in our country’s political landscape,” Vujović detailed.

He added that Jovanović is aware that the state, especially the Ministry of Public Administration (MPA), has remained unresponsive to his ongoing legal infractions, which is why he continues to carry out these illegal actions monthly.

“The controversial illegal appointment of the new MEC by the local parliament demonstrates this point, as we possess a documented statement from the State Election Commission (SEC) that delineates how the commission’s members should be appointed. However, Jovanović and the DPS entirely disregarded it to manipulate the electoral process. Over the past three decades, we’ve witnessed numerous illegal acts by the DPS, but what transpired recently has no precedent. I want to make it clear: if the unlawful actions of Jovanović in Budva go unchallenged, it sends a message that elections are no longer necessary, as both the law and legal framework cease to exist,” Vujović asserted, who held the position of president of the Budva Municipal Assembly for two years.

Furthermore, Vujović stated that the Government and MPA possess mechanisms to halt the misconduct perpetrated by DPS and Jovanović in Budva.

“They have multiple legal avenues to quickly indicate that the laws and regulations must be adhered to. It is apparent that this is a deliberate contravention of the law rather than mere ignorance. We have the position from the supreme state authority on this matter—the SEC—but the new government has chosen to disregard established law and practices. Moreover, they have escalated their actions. Ultimately, I must conclude that if an extra-parliamentary party, like the formally PZP in Budva, is appointed to the MEC, and its composition defies the law, it invites other municipalities to follow suit, resulting in the collapse of the regular electoral system. All this indicates that Jovanović seems to aspire to create a jamahiriya—a system devoid of elections. It is profoundly hypocritical for the DPS and SDP to claim in the national parliament they are fighting for ‘the rule of law’ while simultaneously obstructing it, all the while flagrantly violating the law in Budva. It is evident how they would act if they were to seize control at the national level,” Vujović remarked to “News”.

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