So, the reconstruction happened.
In the new government, there are so many deputy prime ministers, ministers, and ministries that the average citizen likely will not be able to say their precise number a day after the reconstruction, and it is highly doubtful they would be able to list the ministries or ministers either.
Even the media seems to struggle with this – some claim we have 25 ministers, others say 24 ministries, some say 26 ministries, while others count 27 departments…
Even some credible media outlets have added to the confusion. It is evident that these unintentional mistakes are caused by the government’s lack of transparency, the absence of comprehensive public debate, and the fact that some ministers are completely unknown to the Montenegrin public. Some journalists even struggled to find their photos.
The accurate information is that the restructured government has 25 ministries. There are 26 ministers, and indeed one minister more than departments, because a minister without portfolio was appointed, who is not the head of a ministry but a government member.
Besides the prime minister, the government includes seven deputy prime ministers (two of whom are also ministers).
Confusion also comes from the names of the departments or due to the fact that there are two deputy prime ministers – one for international relations and another for European and foreign affairs. This raises the question of who will handle international and who will handle foreign affairs. It would also be interesting to know where oil and gas are mined in Montenegro or what benefits we will gain from the ministry for cooperation with the non-governmental sector.
There will, without any doubt, be misinterpretations about the responsibilities of certain ministries, as well as what the mandates of administrations, directorates, and agencies would be…
The reason is simple – the public lacks sufficient information about government decisions, plans, and how they will be implemented. These are important issues that affect all of us, and ultimately, we should hold public officials accountable if they fail to meet their promises.
We are sure that journalists eagerly await the media appearances of certain ministers to ask if they have ever dealt with the responsibilities of the departments they now cover. But this is nothing new in a country aspiring to be the “Singapore of Europe.” It should also be noted that members of the Parliament of Montenegro did not have any formal explanation or information about the government reconstruction until just a few hours before yesterday’s session, showing the extent to which the most significant democratic institution has been devalued.
Reactions from social media users ensued, with some justifiably wondering if they will need to play “musical chairs” before the government session begins, if the building needs reconstruction, or why the Ministry of Happiness was forgotten…
In the public discourse, the victims of the Srebrenica genocide were exploited, and used for manipulative “attacks“ on the Bosniak Party. Photoshopped images of its leader and members were circulated, labeling them as traitors and mercenaries, inevitably leading to hate speech. While the Bosniak Party voiced messages like “karma is a miracle“ and that they can endure much more than the “kokardas and sajkacas put on their heads by photo manipulation,” it remains to be seen how many times they will support potentially harmful policies from those who see nothing wrong with kokardas or sajkacas.
Jelena Jovanovic
This project is funded by the U.S. Embassy in Podgorica. The opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of State/Government.