The Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) has put forward the name of Andrija Nikolić, the leader of its parliamentary group, as a candidate for the president of the parliamentary inquiry committee. This committee is tasked with examining politically motivated murders and assaults on journalists and intellectuals, according to unofficial reports from “Vijesti.”

As per information obtained by “Vijesti,” this nomination follows a letter from Parliament Speaker Andrija Mandić, stating that the DPS, being the largest opposition party, has the right to nominate the head of the committee from its two members on the board. They have also suggested MP Oskar Hutter as the other member.

This development indicates that the ruling majority has abandoned its previous intention to propose a candidate for the committee’s leadership. Mandić previously declared that the committee would be chaired by Vladimir Dobricanin, an MP from the opposition United Montenegro party. The opposition has stated that it will not take part in the committee’s work under Dobricanin’s leadership or if a president is imposed upon them.

The Administrative Committee will select five members of the inquiry committee from among the opposition MPs, while five will be chosen from the ruling majority. The legislative assembly made the decision to establish the inquiry committee on February 20.

Unofficial reports from “Vijesti” indicate that the Social Democrats (SD) have nominated MP Nikola Zirojević to serve as a member of the investigation committee.

Mandić announced last fall that the parliamentary factions of his New Serbian Democracy party and Milan Knežević’s Democratic People’s Party would initiate a parliamentary investigation into the murders of former federal defense minister Pavle Bulatović and former editor of the newspaper “Dan,” Duško Jovanović, along with attacks on journalists Željko Ivanović, Tufik Softić, and Olivera Lakić.

“There is no organized crime that has emerged spontaneously here. Behind many of the murders are individuals connected to the former regime. We aim to open a debate and hold people accountable through a committee of inquiry,” he stated.

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