DPS still without a presidential candidate for the elections in Montenegro
A little more than a month remains until the presidential elections in Montenegro scheduled for March 19, and the opposition Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) has still not announced who its candidate will be.
The pro-Montenegrin opposition bloc has failed to reach an agreement on a joint candidate, and the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) will be Draginja Vuksanović Stanković, who enjoys popularity among the so-called hardline sovereignists.
Although the possibility is mentioned that the current president and DPS leader Milo Đukanović could run for that office for a third time, he said that there is still time for a decision.
The media speculate that the DPS could nominate party vice-president and former mayor of Podgorica, Ivan Vuković.
So far, only the leader of the pro-Russian Democratic Front (DF), Andrija Mandić, has submitted a formal candidacy to the State Election Commission.
Although it has not been formally submitted, the candidacy of the leader of the „Europe Now!“ movement, Milojko Spajić, a former minister in the government of Zdravka Krivokapić, is also certain.
„Europe Now!“ is an extra-parliamentary movement, founded in June, led by former ministers in the first post-election government of Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapić – Milojko Spajić and Jakov Milatović. They achieved a good result in the Podgorica elections and Milatović will be the mayor.
In Krivokapić's government, they covered the economic portfolios, and they named their movement after the „Europe Now!“ economic program, which they launched during their ministerial term. It abolished the health insurance contribution, increased the minimum wage from 222 euros to 450, and the average wage from 530 euros to 670. These moves brought them immense popularity, while economists warned that the program would lead to an over-indebtedness „Greek scenario.“.
The only parties that will not participate in the presidential race are the two ruling ones – the Civic Movement URA of Prime Minister Dritan Abazović, and the Socialist People's Party (SNP) of Vladimir Joković, which predominantly control the government that was voted no-confidence half a year ago.
