The previous three Governments of Montenegro exhibited significant variations in the number of members, ranging with 14 in the Zdravko Krivokapić’s Cabinet, over 21 in Dritan Abazović’s, to a record high of 23 in the Government of Milojko Spajić. Krivokapić’s Government had the fewest deputy prime minister positions – just one, while Spajić’s had the most – currently five, with indication that this number may increase during the reconstruction process, in accordance with coalition agreement.
Through his exposé, Zdravko Krivokapić outlined 12 ministries, predominantly led by individuals relatively unknown to the public at the time, whom he promoted as experts: the Ministry of Public Administration, Digital Society and Media (Tamara Srzentić), the Ministry of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urbanism (Ratko Mitrović), the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Sergej Sekulović), the Ministry of Defense (Olivera Injac), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Đorđe Radulović), the Ministry of Economic Development (Jakov Milatović), the Ministry of Capital Investments (Mladen Bojanić), the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management (Aleksandar Stijović), the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports (Vesna Bratić), the Ministry of Health (Jelena Borovinić Bojović), the Ministry of Justice, Human and Minority Rights (Vladimir Leposavić) and the Ministry of Finance and Social Welfare (Milojko Spajić). Additionally, one deputy PM was allocated to Dritan Abazović, the leader of URA. This Government garnered support from 41 out of 81 MPs in the Parliament, from the coalitions For the Future of Montenegro (ZBCG), led by the parties of the Democratic Front, Peace is our Nation, headed by the Democrats, and Black on White, with the URA.
In his exposé, Krivokapić pointed out that the reduction of the number of ministries from the previous 18 to 12 represented an optimization and a first step toward improving state administration. However, in practice, this did not materialize, and particular controversy surrounded the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports partly due to the bulkiness and inefficiency. Krivokapić also stated that the intention behind the formation of that Government was to enhance the rule of law, finance and economy, education and healthcare. However, tangible results did not align with his intentions, as indicated by EC reports.
In his exposé, Dritan Abazović envisaged 18 ministries, plus 2 positions for ministers without portfolio: the Ministry of Justice (Marko Kovač), the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Filip Adžić), the Ministry of Defense (Raško Konjević), the Ministry of Finance (Aleksandar Damjanović), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ranko Krivokapić), the Ministry of Economic Development and Tourism (Goran Đurović), the Ministry of European Affairs (Jovana Marović), the Ministry of Education (Miomir Vojinović), the Ministry of Health (Dragoslav Šćekić), the Ministry of Capital Investments (Ervin Ibrahimović), the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management (Vladimir Joković), the Ministry of Sports and Youth (Vasilije Lalošević), the Ministry of Public Administration (Marash Dukaj), the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (Admir Adrović), the Ministry of Culture and Media (Maša Vlaović), the Ministry of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urbanism (Ana Novaković Đurović), the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights (Fatmir Gjeka), the Ministry of Science and Information Society (Biljana Šćepanović), along with Adrijan Vuksanović and Zoran Miljanić, as ministers without portfolio. At the same time, four ministers were also deputy PMs of the Government (Jovana Marović, Vladimir Joković, Raško Konjević and Ervin Ibrahimović). The composition of this Government was the result of the distribution of positions within the parties that participated in it, and two ministers presented as independent (Maša Vlaović and Biljana Šćepanović). Thus, 6 positions each were allocated to the coalition Black on White (including the PM) and the SNP each, while Social Democratic Party (SDP), Albanian Coalition and Bosniak Party received 2 each, and the Croatian Civic Initiative (HGI) one. These parties collectively had 16 out of 81 MPs in the Parliament, and the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) gave them the majority to form the Government, so they ultimately received the support of 45 MPs.
Although the exposé announced that this Government will rest on two main pillars – the rule of law and economic development, the reports of relevant organizations, including the EC, they did not recognize the track record, and the Government also lost confidence in the Parliament after 100 days. It ended long technical mandate with 4 ministers less (for 2 from the SDP, the MP initiated a dissmissal in the Parliament after losing confidence, and 2 who came from the quota of URA resigned).
In his exposé, Milojko Spajić presented the Government of 19 ministries that were from the parties signing the coalition agreement, with the exception of the ZBCG coalition: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Filip Ivanović), the Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs (Filip Radulović), the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property (Janko Odović), the Ministry of European Affairs (Maida Gorčević), the Ministry of Finance (Novica Vuković), the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (Anđela Jakšić-Stojanović), the Ministry of Justice (Andrej Milović), the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (Naida Nišić), the Ministry of Health (Vojislav Šimun), the Ministry of Energy and Mining (Saša Mujović), the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Danilo Saranović), the Ministry of Defense (Dragan Krapović), the Ministry of Tourism, Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Development (Vladimir Martinović), the Ministry of Culture and Media (Tamara Vujović), the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management (Vladimir Joković), the Ministry of Public Administration (Marash Dukaj), the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights (Fatmir Gjeka), the Ministry of Economic Development (Nik Gjeloshaj) and the Ministry of Sports and Youth (Dragoslav Šćekić). Additionally, out of 5 deputy PMs positions, 2 are held by ministers who have their own portfolios (Nik Gjeloshaj and Dragoslav Šćekić), and 3 are not directly related to any portfolio (Aleksa Bečić, Momo Koprivica, Srđan Pavićević).
The Movement Europe Now (PES) got 12 positions (including MP and Deputy PM, as CIVIS was on the PES list), Democrats 6, SNP and the Albanian Forum 2 each, and the Albanian Alliance 1. The parties whose representatives are in the Government have a total of 33 MPs, and additional support in the Parliament was given by 13 MPs from the ZBCG coalition, so they received a total of 46 out of 81 votes.
Although it was not announced in the exposé, the increase of state administration at the highest level continued with the decision that the Government has 36 state secretaries, whereby 1 possible within 4 ministries each, 2 within 4 ministries each, and 3 for as many as 8 ministries each, further entrenching party distribution, as state secretaries are appointed based on party affiliation without public competition.
A cross-section of the structure of the three previous Governments indicates that they are reorganized without any strategy according to the current ideas of the mandate holders and much more in line with party appetites. This underscores the necessity for adopting the Law on Government to address this issue and create one of the preconditions for the professionalization of state administration.
The review of these documents was conducted through the CCE’s programme, supported by the Core Grant regional project SMART Balkans – Civil Society for a Connected Western Balkans. This project is implemented by the Center for the Promotion of Civil Society (CPCD), the Center for Research and Public Policy (CRPM), and the Institute for Democracy and Mediation (IDM), with financial support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Norway. The content of the text is the sole responsibility of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of CPCD, CRPM, IDM, or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Norway.
Nikola Đurašević, programme assistant