Hopes Fade For New Montenegro Crisis Talks

(MENAFN- The Journal Of Turkish Weekly) Montenegro's political leaders are to meet again on Friday in an attempt to resolve the crisis in the country following the failure of a no-confidence vote in the government last week.

At the first round held on Mondayleaders of the main political parties could not agree on the way ahead after Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic's government survived a no-confidence motion the previous Wednesday with the help of three MPs from the opposition.

The outcome of the vote opened up a new chasm between the main ruling party the Democratic Party of Socialists DPS led by Djukanovic and its former junior partner the Social Democratic Party SDP led by the speaker of parliament Ranko Krivokapic. Following a marathon three-day parliamentary debate a plot to unseat Djukanovic foundered when the smallest opposition party Positive Montenegro which has been getting closer to the DPS voted in favour of the Prime Minister and provided his government with enough votes to survive. In exchange for their support Djukanovic has offered five seats in the cabinet to opposition representatives - the interior labour agriculture and finance ministries as well as the post of deputy prime minister. All are considered the most vulnerable to abuses during election campaigns. Meanwile Djukanovic explaining his offer said he was ready to continue talks with the opposition and offer also "deputy ministers' positions with additional powers. "This would imply that the use of state funds could not be granted without the signature of those deputies" Djukanovic said.

The offer is not acceptable for the opposition however. Three centre-left oppostion parties and the SPD have said they want additional controls over the use of state funds in the next election. After a meeting on Thursday the opposition said it demanded the formation of a "government of electoral trust" and control over the work of the intelligence agency the ANB the National Election Commission the Department of Employment the Anti-Corruption Agency and the public broadcasterRTCG. "The point is not whether we get four ministries but building a democratic infrastructure to control abuses" one opposition leader Zarko Rakcevic said. "It is important that responsible and autonomous people take over key points within public institutions" he added. The main opposition alliance the Democratic Front which has boycotted parliament for months meanwhile rejected both offers saying an interim government made up of all political factors is only acceptable solution. The Front rejected the invitation to attend the crisis talks on Friday and called on the other opposition parties to join a fresh round of anti-goverment demonstrations planned in the capital Podgorica. The right-wing alliance composed mostly of pro-Serbian parties has been staging protests in the capital Podgorica since last September calling on Djukanovic to resign. While reshuffle options remain open Positive Montenegro is the only opposition party satisfied with the outcome of the no-confidence vote.

It said that accepting the offer to enter the government would place the keys of the electoral process such as voter lists and financial flows in the hands of the opposition. The current government was elected in December 2012 and the next election is planned for the autumn of 2016 - but the exact date has not yet been agreed.