Montenegro Closer to Early Elections as Govt Negotiations Falter

Montenegrin Prime Minister-Designate Dritan Abazovic in Podgorica. Photo: Government of Montenegro

Nikolic said that a new minority government must be formed by next week, and the negotiations were taking too long.

"Otherwise, the idea of ​​a minority government should be ended and efforts should be directed towards quick elections, possibly with the formation of a technical government that would prepare the elections," Nikolic told Gradska television.

Abazovic, leader of Black on White, the smallest block in the former ruling coalition, was proposed as prime minister-designate on March 2. He announced the formation of a new minority government.

The proposal for him to become Prime Minister was backed by his own Black on the White block, the ruling Socialist People's Party, the opposition DPS, the Social Democratic Party, Bosniak Party, the Social Democrats and two ethnic Albanian coalitions.

The Socialist Peoples Party, SNP, also started negotiations with him on March 8. But negotiations stumbled after SNP leader Vladimir Jokovic refused to support the entry of the opposition Social Democratic Party and the Social Democrats into the proposed government. Those two parties then accused Jokovic of setting ultimatums.

On April 6, Black on White MP Milos Konatar said that Abazovic would present his cabinet in the next few days.

But Social Democratic Party leader Rasko Konjevic said Abazovic should return his mandate if lacks the support to form a government. "If he wants to form a government, he is welcome to, but …  I don't think he will have a majority in parliament," Konjevic said.

On March 31, the interim parliament speaker Strahinja Bulajioc, from the largest ruling bloc, the Democratic Front, also called on...