Early parliamentary elections in Montenegro?

Danijel Tadic, project manager AMS

 

Sources from the government coalition confirmed a meeting has been scheduled for Monday to decide on the extraordinary parliamentary session in which the coalition is likely decide to shorten its own term. It is argued by the members of the ruling coalition that the government needs a new four year mandate in order to fulfill the important obligations in the EU integration process and to make the necessary institutional reforms.

 

However, critics claim that by holding the elections in March instead, as planned, at the end of 2009, the ruling coalition has a greater chances to stay in power, or even perhaps increase their power by winning more parliamentary seats, as it is expected that the global economic crisis will have an great negative impact on the economy of the country. The impact of the economic crisis on the country could seriously damage the popularity of the ruling coalition as, among other things, privatization and other economic decisions taken by the current government have often been criticized in Montenegro and shaped the debate in recent years.