Canović pointed out that, according to the latest monitoring report of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Montenegro is recognized as one of the most centralized countries in the Western Balkans, which clearly indicates the limitations in the functioning of local democracy. He emphasized that a system that is too centralized cannot fully reflect the will of citizens, and that without strong local governments there is no full democratic accountability.
"Decentralization is not a technical issue, but a question of democratic maturity. Local governments must have real powers, real resources and real accountability. And accountability begins with the way leaders are elected. If we truly believe in local democracy, citizens must have the right to directly elect mayors," Canović said.
He emphasized that elections are not just a procedural issue, but an essential expression of citizens' trust, which at the local level implies equal conditions for all participants, transparent processes, and zero tolerance for pressure and misuse of public resources.
The Mayor of Budva Municipality, Nikola Jovanović, participated in the discussion on violence against officials, emphasizing that he speaks from personal experience as a victim of an attack in which he suffered serious injuries. He pointed out that due to the security threats to him and his family, he is currently under police protection.
"I am not saying this to seek sympathy. I am saying this because I have made a clear decision to stand up to organized crime and I will not give up. Budva belongs to honest and hardworking people. And it is worth defending. That is why protecting elected officials is not a privilege, but a condition for democratic legitimacy. If political decisions depend on pressure instead of the will of the people, democracy loses its meaning," said Jovanović.
Members of the Montenegrin delegation, including the Secretary General of the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro (ZOCG) Mišela Manojlović, and the Assistant Secretary General of the ZOCG and Secretary of the Delegation Milica Radojičić, participated today in the sessions of the working bodies of the Congress, namely the Monitoring Committee and the Management Committee.
As part of today's session of the Congress, a ceremonial ceremony was organized to mark the launch of a new joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe for the Western Balkans, called LORAI. The programme is directly linked to the Reform and Growth Agenda for the Western Balkans, which is one of the key instruments for the region's progress towards EU membership, and Montenegro was represented at its launch by the President of the Board of Directors of the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro and the Mayor of the Municipality of Žabljak, Radoš Žugić, and the Secretary General, Mišela Manojlović.
