The opposition Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) allocated the highest expenditure for the recent local elections in Nikšić and Herceg Novi, totaling 83,566 euros.

This party dedicated 53,146 euros to the Nikšić campaign, while the coalition For the Future of Nikšić (ZBNK) and the Europe Now Movement (PES) each approximated their spending at around 36,000 euros.

Following these top three, the coalition of Democrats and Plenum 083 contributed 17,354 euros for campaigning in Nikšić. The Civic Movement (GP) URA spent 11,285 euros, the European Union allocated 8,792 euros, the Party of European Progress (SEP) contributed 5,299 euros, and the civic list “Work for my city” managed to spend 623 euros.

These details are highlighted in the interim reports on campaign finances published on the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (ASK) website.

The Law on Financing Political Entities and Election Campaigns mandates that electoral contenders submit provisional expense reports to ASK five days ahead of the elections. However, the preliminary expenses for the list “Probudimo Nikšić,” led by the party during the polls on April 13, were not available on the ASK website. Dragoljub Dragan Radulovic.

The same regulation allows political entities to receive funding for routine operations and election campaigns from both public and private sources. Public financing entails contributions from state and local government budgets, while private sources include membership fees, donations, legacies, and loans from banks and other financial institutions in Montenegro. A portion of 0.25 percent of the current budget (excluding capital budgets) is designated for campaign expenses. Parties receive 20 percent of their allocated amount in equal installments within eight days following the submission of electoral lists.

In Nikšić, DPS, represented by Muratovic, spent 49,481 euros on media appearances, advertisements, and publications, including 3,630 euros on social media promotions, 18,041 euros for billboard advertising, 12,608 euros for portals, 2,497 euros to private radio, and 10,285 euros on television ads. Expenses for renting a hall and organizing two meetings totaled 3,525 euros, with transportation costs reaching 130 euros.

Preliminary results from the Nikšić election commission indicated that DPS secured the most votes in the municipality, amassing 14,580 votes (16 seats).

PES, led in Nikšić by Zoran Mrkic, spent 36,741 euros on its campaign, with 28,384 euros dedicated to media representation, advertising, and publications. They allocated 424 euros for Facebook ads. They still owe payment for advertising on a private television station amounting to 3,502 euros, with portal costs reaching 10,686 euros and billboard promotions tallying up to 13,769 euros.

PES’s materials, including podiums, stands, flyers, pens, lighters, diaries, and T-shirts, contributed to a cost of 7,857 euros. The rental of the Nikšić theater hall for the final convention cost them 500 euros.

PES, under the leadership of Milojko Spajic, garnered 5,188 votes (five seats) during the elections.

The ZBNK coalition’s electoral campaign expenses totaled 35,986 euros. The list, headed by Marko Kovacevic, dedicated 22,355 euros to media presence, advertisements, and publications, with 16,700 euros allocated specifically for social media promotions, while they owe 5,655 euros to two television stations.

They are also responsible for paying 18 euros for the rental of 12,405 advertising spaces, along with 500 euros for renting a hall at the Nikšić theater, and an additional 726 euros for renting a business space.

The ZBNK coalition, associated with the former Democratic Front (DF), amassed a total of 14,381 votes (15 seats) in the elections.

The Democrats and Plenum 083 list, led by Nemanja Vuković, expended 17,354 euros on their campaign.

The costs for media representation, advertisements, and publications reached 9,037 euros. They allocated 3,907 euros for billboard advertisements, 3,630 euros for television promotions, and 1,500 euros for assembling condominium owners. Their advertising material expenses amounted to 6,734 euros, while representation costs were set at 1,583 euros.

The Democrats secured 3,038 votes (three seats).

GP URA’s campaign expenditure was 11,285 euros, dedicating 4,971 euros to media representation, advertisements, and publications. Of that, 3,187 euros were for social media promotions, and 1,784 euros for billboard advertising.

Overhead costs associated with taxes and bank commissions came to 427 euros, while transportation and fuel costs totaled 1,350 euros. Additionally, hiring six call center staff cost 2,280 euros, with copying services at 790 euros. They also spent 100 euros on 586 advertising T-shirts.

Unfortunately, this party did not achieve parliamentary status in Nikšić, receiving only 783 votes (1.89 percent).

The European Alliance, a coalition comprising the Social Democratic Party, Social Democrats, and the Liberal Party, led by Ivan Radojicic, spent 8,792 euros on their campaign. The distribution of this budget included social media ads, portal promotions, and one television station ad. They owe 3,624 euros for portal advertising, while 3,267 euros were for television and 304 euros for Facebook ads. The European Union captured 2,103 votes (two seats) in the elections.

The Party of European Progress (SEP), headed by former Prime Minister Duško Marković, expended 5,299 euros on the campaign. This included 3,895 euros on media representation, advertisements, and publications. They paid 901 euros for portal costs, with an outstanding amount of 894 euros. Social media advertising cost them 2,100 euros, and advertising materials and boxes accounted for 1,072 euros, alongside an additional 332 euros for advertising on Facebook and Google.

The “Work for my city” list allocated 623 euros for advertising and 844 euros for media representation.

Neither SEP nor “Work for My City” surpassed the electoral threshold, with SEP receiving 388 votes (0.93 percent) and “Work for My City” obtaining 438 votes (1.08 percent).

Herceg Novi: ZBHN and GP URA spent around 11,000 euros

DPS also campaigned in Herceg Novi, where it was led by Dejan Stojadinović, spending the largest amount of 30,420 euros.

They allocated 24,916 euros for media representation, advertisements, and publications, including 6,485 euros owed to portals, 1,376 euros to private radio, and 3,025 euros for one television station. Additionally, they spent 4,997 euros on promotional materials like T-shirts, pens, and lighters, along with 484 euros for hall and auditorium rental.

Preliminary results from the local election commission in Herceg Novi indicate that DPS, under the leadership of Danijel Zivkovic, received 1,972 votes (five seats).

The Coalition for the Future of Herceg Novi and Boka (ZBHN), led by Ivan Otovic, expended 11,675 euros on its campaign, with 7,381 euros for billboard and LED screen use, alongside 3,000 euros for portal-related costs and 1,294 euros for renting two congress halls and the Kanli Tower fortress.

In the elections, also held on April 13, they secured 1,661 votes (five seats).

The Nova List, led by Miloš Konjević, spent around 20,000 euros during their campaign, with 19,928 euros used for the production of advertising spots and materials. They allocated 15,857 euros for billboards, 2,420 euros for sticking advertising materials on billboards, and the Nova List office; 1,345 euros were spent on advertising appearances and portals, with the rest directed to social media promotions. They also set aside 70 euros for fuel and 74 euros for catering services.

The Nova List (supported by PES) achieved 3,320 votes (10 seats) during the elections.

GP URA invested 11,367 euros into their Herceg Novi campaign, of which 6,155 euros were for media representation, advertising, and publications. Billboard expenses accounted for 4,382 euros, while 1,773 euros were spent on social media efforts.

They incurred a cost of 30 euros for producing 192 advertising T-shirts and spent 390 euros on taxes and surtaxes related to service contracts and bank commissions. Transportation and fuel costs added up to 765 euros, while representation costs and voter communication through the call center amounted to 3,865 euros.

GP URA won 464 votes (one mandate) in Herceg Novi.

The Democrats, campaigning in the municipality through the group Otvorena Boka and led by Stevan Katic, spent 9,436 euros on their campaign. Their expenditures included 7,441 euros on billboard advertising and 1,815 euros for space rental, alongside 180 euros for representation costs.

The Democrats secured 4,067 votes (12 seats).

The European Union allocated 3,486 euros to their campaign in Herceg Novi, spending 2,630 euros on videos, flyers, list submissions, animations, and promotional counters, alongside 856 euros for office rent, beverage supplies, and taxes and surcharges.

This coalition received 438 votes (one mandate) in the elections.

The Socialist People’s Party (SNP) did not achieve parliamentary status in Herceg Novi, investing only 1,282 euros for billboards and advertising materials.

There is currently no data available on the ASK website regarding campaign costs for the Civic Movement for Herceg Novi “Idemooo” and the Bokek Forum.

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