Podgorica, (MINA) – Leader of the Preokret Movement Srdjan Peric was elected chair of the Capital City Assembly on Thursday.

 

Peric was elected to the position with the support of 30 councilors, while there were no votes against or abstentions.

 

In favor of Peric’s election were councilors of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), the European Alliance, the Democratic People’s Party (DNP), the Party of European Progress and the Preokret Movement.

 

Following the vote, Peric thanked everyone who voted for him, but also those who, due to their political position, left the assembly hall before the vote.

 

“I do not see this election as a political triumph, but as a responsibility towards the citizens of Podgorica and an obligation to prevent the introduction of forced administration”, Peric said.

 

He added that the current situation represents cohabitation, which is the reality of the political moment in Podgorica.

 

 

“We have to make the most of it for the benefit of the citizens. They expect us to deal more with what is in their interest, and not with ourselves”, said Peric, adding that he would work to ensure functionality of the Capital City.

 

Peric was nominated for the position after the parties that made up the government majority in Podgorica failed to reach an agreement on a joint candidate.

 

Preokret councilor Mirza Krnic said at the beginning of the session that he was proposing Peric as the local parliament chair not as part of a political agreement, distribution of positions or the formation of a new majority, but as part of a model aimed at preventing forced administration in Podgorica and enabling institutions to continue working for the benefit of citizens.

 

Head of DPS councilors club Andrija Klikovac said that the model of introducing the city into a deep political crisis, which would mean the introduction of forced administration, would not happen.

 

He assessed that it was better to support Preokret’s model than the pne planned by PES.

 

Klikovac said that no one was forming any kind of coalition and that it was not important to DPS whether Peric or someone else would chair the Assembly of the Capital City.

 

PES councilor Andjela Micovic said that the citizens could see that no principles existed any more among long-standing political rivals.

 

“On Monday, we received confirmation of the new coalition in Podgorica and saw who is the head of the new majority. After the collegium convened by the DPS, the head of the new majority, Klikovac, made a statement, while colleagues from the DNP avoided explaining why they accepted cooperation with the DPS, whose policies they have opposed for years”, Micovic stated.

 

Head of the DNP councilors club Vladimir Bulatovic said that after the election of Peric, the functionality of the Capital City Assembly would be restored and that no coalition had been formed.

 

Mitar Paunovic, head of the Democrats councilors club, said that Peric was effectively a candidate of DPS, because his candidacy was endorsed by 15 councilors of that party.