Brussels, 01/08/2012 (Agence Europe) - The president of Montenegro, Filip Vujanovic, announced on Tuesday 31 July that legislative elections will take place on 14 October 2012, in other words six months before the planned date, so that the new government can manage the country's EU accession negotiations. Vujanovic decided to hold early elections after it was stressed that Podgorica needs a stable government to lead the reforms required by the EU, whilst the current government is due to finish its 4-year term of office in 2013.
“We believe that a parliament and government of Montenegro with a full term of office of four years will better meet the challenges of this difficult phase of integration”, said Milutin Simovic, MP from the main party in the government coalition, the Social Democrat party. On 26 July, MPs voted for the dissolution of parliament by 47 votes to 27, out of the 81 seats making up the parliament.
The Social Democrat party is the frontrunner in the elections. The accession negotiations with the EU were started on 29 June 2012. (CG/transl.fl)