The coalition “For the Future of Budva” has highlighted that the legal violations, which the newly appointed mayor Nikola Jovanović takes pride in among his supporters, are escalating daily.

“For months, the public has been witnessing Jovanović’s disregard for the law, starting from his unlawful assumption of the vice-presidency of the Municipality, followed by the adoption of the temporary financing decision for Budva. This culminated in various legal controversies surrounding the election of the president of the Budva Municipal Assembly, along with Jovanović’s own election. When the coalition ‘Budva Our City’ – OKG DPS and SDP came into power, some hoped for a return to legal operations within the framework of Montenegro’s laws. However, it appears that the Jovanović – Odžić duo had different plans, as they initiated even more blatant legal infractions from the very first assembly session,” the coalition stated.

Sadly, they claim that the Ministry of Public Administration, led by Minister Maraš Dukaj, alongside the Administrative Court, has remained silent for months regarding the consistent violations not only of electoral laws but also of the Budva Municipality Statute, particularly when it suits Jovanović, DPS, and SDP’s interests.

“We have repeatedly emphasized to the public that the election of the OIK is a peak of the misconduct by the new Budva Assembly majority. They have deprived our victorious coalition of not just the presidency but also the vice-presidency and the secretary position of this crucial electoral body. Nikola Jovanović and Petar Odžić, with the backing of the reinstated Assembly Secretary Berislav Fabris, ignored the State Election Commission’s written directive and appointed their own representatives, excluding our dominant political group from having a voice in the OIK,” the coalition remarks.

They further note that one primary reason for such actions, aside from laying the groundwork for future electoral abuses, is the intent to target some councilors from the “For the Future of Budva” coalition. This is reportedly already occurring, with daily attempts being made.

“These legal abuses jeopardize the electoral intentions of Budva’s citizens under the new and unconventional local government. They also signal a troubling message that if one possesses a parliamentary majority, anything is permissible. The ongoing violations of the Constitution, along with the daily displays of illegality and basic arbitrariness orchestrated by Jovanović and Odžić, have thus far failed to capture the interest of the relevant ministry or the prosecutor’s office. It remains to be seen whether the pertinent institutions will choose to appease the new ruling coalition in Budva or adhere strictly to the rule of law in their jurisdiction,” concludes the coalition “For the Future of Budva” in their statement.

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