President Jakov Milatović stated today that the question of household management of public assets is not being raised in Montenegro, emphasizing that whether such management occurs at the central or local level is a secondary concern.

Responding to the initiative from representatives of coastal municipalities and subsequently from northern municipalities advocating for decentralization, Milatović remarked that the core issue in Montenegro is not the level of government responsible for managing public goods, but rather the manner in which these goods are managed.

“If the goal is merely to substitute party appointments from the central government for those at the local level, then we have achieved nothing. However, the issue of domestic management of public goods is not being addressed. This is the fundamental concern. I welcome any progress that leads to public property, public goods, and enterprises being managed locally for the benefit of Montenegro’s citizens. Yet, I do not wish to engage in discussions concerning this topic if it simply revolves around replacing party appointments from one level to another. This would yield little change, merely exchanging one similar scenario for another,” Milatović stated after the conference titled “Decision-making power without gender balance,” organized by the Civic Alliance.

He pointed out that local politics often results in citizens delegating their sovereignty to representatives, who subsequently do little for those who elected them.

“I want to focus on the fundamental issue, which is the need for public goods to be managed locally for the benefit of the people of Montenegro. I want to engage in conversations around that. Whether this management occurs at the central level or the local level is, in my view, a secondary matter,” Milatović concluded.

Recently, officials from New Serbian Democracy (NSD), who hold significant positions in both state and municipal authorities, have been advocating for northern municipalities to assume control of their natural and economic resources from the state. This comes in reply to demands from leaders of coastal municipalities seeking local governance over coastal resources as opposed to oversight from the Coastal Zone.

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