PODGORICA – After eight months, the Montenegrin government led by Milojko Spajić has been reshuffled, now including members of the Coalition for the Future of Montenegro, close to the official Belgrade, as well as the Bosniak Party, a traditional coalition partner of the Democratic Party of Socialist (DPS).
With this reshuffle, the government has expanded by eight members, bringing the total to 32 members, making it one of the largest governments in Europe for a country with a population of 600,000. This government reshuffle was carried out in accordance with a coalition agreement signed at the time of the government’s formation in October last year.
The Coalition for the Future of Montenegro, which includes Andrija Mandić’s New Serbian Democracy (NSD) and Milan Knežević’s Democratic People’s Party (SNP), had previously supported Spajić’s government in Assembly, holding significant positions in the state administration and public enterprises, especially in the key energy companies.
This is the first time this coalition is officially a part of the government. Although they were the backbone of the coalition led by Zdravko Krivokapić during the 2020 elections, they were not part of his government, nor in the subsequent government of Dritan Abazović.
Prime Minister Milojko Spajić said yesterday in the Assembly that this is a “historic government”. According to him, this government is a reflection of unity, not divisions.
“Montenegro is one of the most diverse countries in the world, and such countries are either the richest or the poorest. There is no middle ground. Those that choose to be united in diversity are the richest today,” Spajić said. He added that one of the major policy of the reshuffled government remains EU integration of the Montenegro.
The US Embassy in Podgorica expressed concern stating that they are worried about the inclusion of parties and leaders, who, as they stated, do not condemn Russian aggression in Ukraine and oppose EU sanctions.
For opposition parties, this government reshuffle is unacceptable. They described it as political horse-trading and a struggle for positions and personal interests. Montenegrin President Jakov Milatović, who publicly fell out with previous ally Spajić earlier this year, commented on X that Montenegro is currently an example of the most “primitive political bargaining and irresponsibility that Prime Minister consistently demonstrates in governance”.