Call for Minority Govt in Montenegro Gets Cold Shoulder

Montenegrin Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic (left) and Deputy PM Dritan Abazovic (right) in the parliament. Photo: Government of Montenegro

On Monday, Deputy PM and leader of the smallest ruling bloc, Dritan Abazovic, proposed forming a minority government that would include all parties except the largest ruling coalition, the Democratic Front, DF, as well as the main opposition Democratic Party of Socialists, DPS.

The Front condemned the proposal as a betrayal of the political victory they had all won together in the parliamentary elections of August 2020.

"We need to reach a meaningful agreement of all ruling majority representatives on the principles, priorities and composition of the future government. Such a government should be open to minority parties as well, and have the full legitimacy that the existing one has not had for a long time," the DF said.

Since the current government was elected in December 2020, Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic has been under almost constant pressure from the pro-Serbian "For the Future of Montenegro" bloc inside the DF to replace his cabinet of expert technocrats with politicians appointed by the ruling parties.

Krivokapic has insisted on a non-partisan cabinet, calling instead on the ruling majority blocs to support his reform plans.

When Black on White and the Socialist People's Party on December 15 signed an agreement with the opposition Bosniak Party and two ethnic Albanian coalitions, other ruling blocs accused them of undermining the government.

But on Monday, Abazovic said a minority government would likely have the support of at least 49 MPs in the 81-seat parliament, calling it the only way to continue the reforms process in the country.

"I expect the response of...