Out of 26 working days, during June and the first half of July, the officials of the ruling DPS, as state officials, spent as many as 20 days on the field, announcing and opening various projects in almost all parts of Montenegro.
What is represented by the Government as regular state activities was especially intensified after on June 20, the President of Montenegro, Milo Đukanović, scheduled the parliamentary elections.
The analysis of the MANS Investigative Centre shows that the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Agriculture, Milutin Simović, was the leader in that regard, visiting the existing, and announcing new projects in Podgorica, Danilovgrad, Nikšić, Bijelo Polje and Žabljak. The total value of loans, subsidies, and announced and completed works that Simović promoted on that occasion amounted to over five million Euros.
Podgorica–kindergarten and clinic-€ 3 million, Bijelo Polje – subsidies – € 834,000, Danilovgrad–loans – € 400,000, Nikšić – subsidies and equipment – € 300,000, Žabljak – water supply system – € 550,000
The Prime Minister Duško Marković was no less active in the pre-election promotion of the success of the current government, laying a foundation stone with a shovel in his hand and opening construction sites in Podgorica, Danilovgrad, Kotor, Cetinje and Bijelo Polje. Total value of the projects announced by Marković in the pre-election period is over 60 million Euros.
Podgorica–Science Technology Park and bridge-€14 million, Danilovgrad–boulevard-€24 million, Bjelo Polje–tourist complex-€19 million, Cetinje-residential building-€2.5 million, Kotor–underpass -€1.6 million
Abuse of state resources and functions was also noted by the ODHIR observation mission during 2018 presidential elections:
“The presidential elections were held respecting fundamental freedoms, although the ruling party’s candidate, Milo Đukanović, had an institutional advantage.“
MANS’ analysis shows that this type of institutional support for the upcoming campaign was particularly visible in the capital city, which is also the largest constituency in the country.
Thus, in just one month, state and senior officials of the Capital City promoted the start of mostly infrastructure projects with a total value of over 42 million Euros.
That some of these projects are timed for the election campaign is shown by the construction of the Golubovci-Mataguži road, for which, according to the Public Procurement Plan of the Agency for Construction and Development of Podgorica, the tender should have been announced at the end of 2020, i.e. in the fourth quarter after the parliamentary elections. However, the contract for a job worth close to €900 thousand was signed in May this year, while the beginning of construction was announced only a few days after Đukanović scheduled the elections.
Similar situation was with the reconstruction of the boulevard in Podgorica’s settlement Zabjelo, worth €400 thousand. The annual Spatial Development Program of the Capital City did not envisage the reconstruction of this street, but that did not prevent Mayor Ivan Vuković from officially opening it, in the first week after the parliamentary elections were scheduled.
This year, the ruling party could benefit even more from the so-called institutional support, bearing in mind the situation with coronavirus, and almost certain measures that will significantly limit promotional activities of election participants on the field.
Dejan Milovac
MANS Investigative Centre
