Legal dispute over Mojkovac mayoral mandate

A legal dispute has emerged in Montenegro regarding whether Mayor Vesko Delić of Mojkovac must vacate his office following a court conviction for extended abuse of official position. The conviction relates to Delić’s 2022 decision to appoint heads of the Municipal Police and the Protection and Rescue Service without a public competition and despite knowing the candidates lacked legal requirements.

The Ministry of Public Administration has maintained oversight of the Mojkovac Municipal Assembly, asserting that Delić’s mandate ended by operation of law due to his conditional sentence. The Ministry recommended that the local assembly formally record the termination of his mandate and elect a new mayor within 30 days.

Minister of Public Administration Maraš Dukaj has reaffirmed this position, arguing that the Law on Local Self-Government acts as ‘lex specialis’ and takes precedence over the Criminal Code in determining mandate termination. While Delić’s lawyer, Artan Kurti, has challenged this interpretation and requested a suspension of the process, Dukaj cited a 2013 Supreme Court stance to support the application of special laws regarding the consequences of final convictions.