Albanians are the Real Losers in Montenegro Elections

Milo Djukanovic, the leader of the European Montenegro coalition declared victory in front of a cheering crowd of supporters gathered at the headquarters of Democratic Party of Socialists.

The European Montenegro coalition has won 45.5 per cent of the votes and 39 seats of the 81 seats in parliament, the Centre for Monitoring, CEMI, said, based on more than 90 per cent of counted ballots.

The opposition Democratic Front won 23.8 per cent of votes and 20 mandates. It was followed by the Socialist People's Party, with 10.6 per cent of votes and nine parliamentary seats. Positive Montenegro can expect seven seats.

Of the smaller parties, the Bosniak Party won three seats while the Croat Citizens' Intiative, and two Albanian parties - FORCA and Albanian Coalition - each won one.

The European Montenegro coalition is made up of the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists, DPS, and the Social Democratic Party, SDP, which together formed the last five governments, along with a new ally, the Liberal Party.

After winning 39 seats, they may have to reach out to one more ethnic minority party to obtain a majority in the 81-seat parliament.

Suljo Mustafic, of the Bosniak party, which won three seats, said it would be more realistic for his party to form a coalition with the DPS, but he did not exclude talks with other parties. "Our negotiation potential is bigger now," he said.

However, it included some important changes. Ethnic Albanians, who make up 5 per cent of the population, lost their five guaranteed seats.

Instead, all ethnic minorities that comprise up to 15 per cent of the population were given preferential treatment. Those are, primarily, the Albanian, Bosniak [Muslim] and Croat communities.

Nonetheless, the Albanian parties seemed to be the biggest losers during this round of elections.  Among the newly formed groups of coalition, the united FORCA (Genc Nimanbegu and Vasel Sinishtaj) won 1.4%, while the Albanian Coalition (Fatmir Gjekë, George Camaj and Mehmet Bardhi) won 1.1%.   Both parties were awarded one mandate each, thus sending two Albanian deputies to Parliament.  Under Montenegro’s parliamentary arrangements for minority representation, Albanians had five (5) seats reserved but could not capitalize.

The most dismal showing involved the Albanian Youth Alliance (Aleanca Rinore e Shqiptarëve) where its organizer and college student Anton Lulgjuraj failed pass the threshold by only gathering 0.1% of the vote, by far one the worst showings of any political group/party in all Montenegro on Sunday.

With Djukanovic primed to make a return to the DPS, it is believed he will announce his homecoming as Prime Minister in the coming weeks.  Media outlets have hinted that he will remain as head of state and the DP until Montenegro becomes a full member of the EU.  Djukanovic has been Montenegro’s strongman since 1990 when he and Serbian war criminal Slobodan Milosevic ruled the SFRY.

With only two deputies in the 81 seat assembly, Albanians have lost all influence in any decision-making with the majority coalition.  It seems apparent that the European Montenegro coalition will form its government with the Bosniak party and, if needed, the Croat Citizens’ Initiative.    

With the absence of UDSH, Djukanovic’s primary Albanian support over the past two decades, the ruling party will most likely bypass any coalition attempt with the other Albanian members. 

The question surrounding Malësia’s municipality also seems to be settled with Djukanovic’s recent pledge to enact the territorial arrangement sometime in 2013.  Regardless of the date of its reinstatement, the Commune will be staged as a pilot project that was founded by the DPS, then closely monitored over the years with the distribution of a modest budget, where local Albanians had the opportunity to elect their own (local) officials that represented their best/real interests (something they squandered miserably) and that a Commune will be finally awarded to the people of Malësia BY PODGORICA and THROUGH PODGORICA, and not by the labours of the Albanians in Montenegro or the Diaspora.  This is the message that was resonated through (1) Djukanovic’s recent pre-election speech in Tuz, (2) the reorganization of Albanian political parties/coalitions, (3) the ineffective Albanian Diaspora in the United States, and ultimately (3) the outcome of Sunday’s election.  Suffice to say, the DPS will take full credit when they award Albanians their “only wish” over the past two decades: A meager Municipality ruled by DPS loyalists!  Irrespective to conventional wisdom, once this ensues, the DPS will be regarded as heroes for the Albanians, and undoubtedly seal their place as the party of choice for years to come in Malësia.

God Help Us.