Montenegro holds snap parliamentary vote that might decide its EU path

PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) – Montenegro is holding an early parliamentary election Sunday, a vote that might present indications of whether or not the small NATO member within the Balkans will overcome the deep political divisions and instability which have hampered its path to becoming a member of the European Union.

Some 542,000 voters are eligible to decide on amongst 15 events and coalitions fielding candidates, starting from teams which might be staunchly pro-Western to ones which might be pro-Serbian and pro-Russian.

The election can be Montenegro’s first in additional than 30 years that doesn’t function Milo Djukanovic, who served nearly repeatedly because the nation’s prime minister or president since 2001. He misplaced a presidential election in April and has taken a again seat in politics.

Polls and analysts predict that the centrist Europe Now motion, led by monetary professional Milojko Spajic and the present president, Jakov Milatovic, is most certainly to be the highest vote-getter however with out sufficient seats in parliament to kind a brand new authorities by itself.

Spajic, 37, a former finance minister who in 2021 created financial reforms that included will increase in common wages, now guarantees additional wage hikes, in addition to a seven-hour working day as a substitute of the present eight hours.

“I am very interested in realizing the plan that I presented to the citizens,” Spajic, who may develop into the nation’s subsequent prime minister, stated at one in all his pre-election rallies. “I will resign if I fail to realize it.”

The Democratic Party of Socialists, the get together previously led by Djukanovic, skilled a decline in recognition after three a long time of dominance and has new management searching for an opportunity to make a comeback.

Party chief Danijel Zivkovic accuses the nation’s present authorities of jeopardizing Montenegro’s EU path and guarantees to unblock it if DPS returns to energy. Montenegro, a picturesque Adriatic Sea nation of about 620,000 folks, was as soon as thought of the primary in line to affix the EU from the Western Balkans.

Djukanovic led Montenegro to independence from Serbia in 2006 and defied Russia to affix NATO in 2017. An alliance dominated by events in search of nearer ties with Serbia and Russia ousted DPS from energy within the earlier parliamentary elections in 2020.

The new ruling alliance, nonetheless, quickly plunged into disarray, which stalled Montenegro’s path towards the EU and created a political impasse. The authorities fell in a no-confidence vote final 12 months however has remained in workplace for months due to the stalemate.

The Sunday election may even function the United Reform Action coalition that features performing Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic, and a pro-Serbian and Russian coalition known as For the Future of Montenegro.

Abazovic, who offered himself because the anti-mafia chief in a rustic ripe with crime and corruption, additionally guarantees a number of steps for bettering voters’ residing requirements.

“When we defeat the mafia, there will be (money) for everyone,” Abazovic stated not too long ago. “We will establish a justice fund, which would return the stolen funds to the budget of the state and all citizens.”

The lukewarm election marketing campaign was shaken this week by Abazovic and Europe Now get together chief Spajic buying and selling accusations over South Korean “crypto king” Do Kwon.

Kwon was arrested in Montenegro in March on a world arrest warrant together with one other South Korean citizen in reference to a $40 billion crash of his Terraform Labs’ cryptocurrency that devastated retail buyers all over the world.

Both South Korea and the United States have requested his extradition from Montenegro, the place he’s on trial for allegedly utilizing a solid passport.

Abazovic has claimed that Spajic had shut enterprise contacts with Do Kwon.

Spajic known as Abazovic’s allegations “political persecution” and accused him of abusing Montenegro’s establishments whereas creating an election week controversy “out of fear of losing power.”

Political analyst Daliborka Uljarevic stated that such claims and counter-claims proved that the primary election subject isn’t becoming a member of the EU however “economic populism,” evidenced by many of the events promising larger wages.