Montenegro's SDP asks court to invalidate Vujanovic's presidential candidacy.

By bne IntelliNews February 15, 2013
The Social Democratic Party (SDP), a junior partner in Montenegro's DPS-led coalition, submitted a complaint with the constitutional court on Thursday, Feb 14, challenging the decision of the electoral commission, which approved the candidacy of incumbent president Filip Vujanovic for the April 4 elections, radio and TV broadcaster RTCG reported on its website. SDP believes Vujanovic's candidacy is in breach with the constitution, which says that individuals cannot spend more than two terms as presidents. Vujanovic, the country's most popular politician and member of governing DPS, won his second consecutive five-year term in office in April 2008 and a victory in this year's elections would mean a third term for him. Yet, his first term in office began in 2003, three years before Montenegro declared its independence from Serbia in June 2006 - therefore, DPS decided in January that his nomination will not breach the law. SDP MP Borislav Banovic told a news conference after he and his colleagues submitted the complaint that "the breaching of the constitution in such an obvious case could result in justifying similar violations taking place in the future". He added that in case the court turns down their complaint, SDP will not support Vujanovic, neither his main opponent - Miodrag Lekic, in the presidential race. Lekic is the leader of the Democratic Front - a union of two opposition parties and several independent political figures, which was established in July 2012. Banovic also said that the question of Vujanovic's right to compete in the election will be one of the key issues inside the governing coalition but did not give any indications that SDP might break its union with DPS and leave the government. According to resent statements of DPS officials, the stability of the cabinet is not endangered by the disagreements around the Vujanovic's presidential bid.
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