Liberal Alliance of Montenegro

Liberal Alliance of Montenegro
Liberalni Savez Crne Gore
Leader Slavko Perović
(1990-1999)
Miodrag Živković
(1999-2004)
Vesna Perović
(2004-2005)
Founded 26 January 1990
Dissolved 24 March 2005
Headquarters Cetinje
Ideology Liberalism
Montenegrin separatism
Pacifism
International affiliation Liberal International (1994-2005)
Website
http://www.lscg.org

Liberal Alliance of Montenegro (Montenegrin:Liberalni Savez Crne Gore - LSCG; Либерални Савез Црне Горе - ЛСЦГ) was a liberal separatist anti-war political party active in Montenegro between 1990 and 2005. The party used to be a member of Liberal International.

History

LSCG was the first political party to advocate independent Montenegro during the turbulent 1990s, and remained a strong supporter of the independence idea throughout its existence. It was also the only party that was openly opposed to Montenegrin involvement in the War in Croatia and shelling of Dubrovnik in 1991. Despite advocating Montenegrin nationalism and pursuing separatist policies, LSCG was a strictly pacifist party, opting for democratic means in its political activity. It also openly supported the restoration of Montenegrin language and Montenegrin Orthodox Church.

LSCG was founded on 26 January 1990 by a group of Montenegrin pro-independence oriented intellectuals led by Slavko Perović. LSCG did not participate in the 1990 election, but Perović was one of the candidates at the electoral list of the Union of Reform Forces. During the 1990s, LSCG was the only party in Montenegro which openly advocated independence and opposed the Montenegrin shelling of Dubrovnik and participation of Montenegrin soldiers in the Yugoslav Wars.

Foundation and anti-war activism (1990-1995)

During the independence referendum campaign in 1992 LSCG was the main promoter of independence together with Albanian Democratic Alliance, but has decided to boycott the referendum, which resulted in pro-independence option receiving only 3.14% of votes, which meant that Montenegro shall remain a constituent republic (along with Serbia) of FR Yugoslavia.

LSCG participated at the parliamentary elections for the first time in 1992, and won 12,04% of votes and 13 seats, which made it the third largest party in Montenegro, behind DPS s and NS. That same year, LSCG leader Slavko Perović was the party's presidential candidate, alsocoming in third place, winning 18,3% of votes, but did not pass through to the second round of election, which was won by Momir Bulatović (DPS).

Popular Unity coalition (1996)

At the 1996 parliamentary election LSCG entered a coalition agreement with the People's Party (NS) called Popular Unity. The idea was that such a coalition would open the way for reconciliation of Montenegrins and Serbs, and they could start to think about politics in a different way.[1] The coalition of liberals and populists won 24.91% of votes and gained 19 MPs, 9 of which belonged to LSCG. However, LSCG terminated the coalition after the decision of NS to enter into coalition with ruling DPS.

Crisis and leadership change (1997-2000)

At the 1997 presidential election, LSCG did not table its candidate. However, in the second round the party supported Milo Đukanović over Momir Bulatović, in order to send a message that they are not against the West which supported Đukanović's candidacy. At the next parliamentary election in 1998, LSCG won 6,21%, or a little more than 20,000 votes, and 5 seats in the Montenegrin parliament. LSCG lost a significant number of voters due to change of policy of DPS, which gradually started supporting the independence of Montenegro, attracting a portion of their voters. Due to poor electoral result, Perović resigned from his post. At the party electoral convention, held on 23 and 24 January 1999, Miodrag Živković officially became the new political leader of LSCG.[2]

Minority government support and decline (2001-2003)

At the 2001 parliamentary election, LSCG received a larger number of votes: 7,85% (almost 28.000 votes), winning 6 seats in the Assembly. Due do the political deadlock, in which no party had won absolute power, LSCG made an agreement with DPS to support the minority government, following a pledge from DPS that within a year a referendum on independence will have been held.[3] However, LSCG still retained the resolute opposition attitude, and withdrew support to the minority government due to the fact that the referendum has not been announced in the promised period. At the 2002 parliamentary election LSCG campaign under the slogan Montenegro can - LSCG, and won 5,77% of votes (just over 20.000 votes), receiving only 4 seats.

Together with other opposition parties LSCG boycotted the presidential election held in February 2003, but opted to table a candidate for the presidential election just three months later. LSCG candidate Miodrag Živković won 31,44% of votes, but was defeated in the first round by the ruling coalition candidate Filip Vujanović. These elections will prove be the last election LSCG participated in.

The rift and dissolution (2004-2005)

Following the outbreak of the Trsteno Affair (sr), a corruption scandal related to the selling of state-owned Trsteno beach and cove in Kotor municipality,[4] the involved party officials led by incumbent party president Miodrag Živković have been expelled from the party on 7 September 2004. The expelled party faction led by Živković went on to form the Liberal Party of Montenegro (LPCG) in October 2004. Following the expulsion of Živković, Vesna Perović was elected as new leader of LSCG on 23 October 2004.

However, following the corruption scandal and general crisis in the party, just a year before its main programmatic goal of Montenegrin independence was to be carried out at the 21 May Referendum, LSCG passed a decision to infinitely freeze its activity, a move declared to be a response to the constant repressive activity by the Montenegrin Agency of National Security.

Parliamentary elections

Year Popular vote % of popular vote Overall seats won Seat change Coalition Government Leader
1992 35,596 12.04%
13 / 71
 Increase 13 — opposition Slavko Perović
1996 74,963 24.91%
9 / 71
 Decrease 4 LSCG-NS opposition Slavko Perović
1998 21,612 6.21%
5 / 75
 Decrease 4 — opposition Slavko Perović
2001 28,746 7.85%
6 / 75
 Increase 1 — opposition Miodrag Živković
2002 20,306 5.8%
4 / 75
 Decrease 2 — opposition Miodrag Živković

References

  1. ↑ "Interview with Slavko Perović, 22.9.2011.". Slavko Perović personal blog. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  2. ↑ "Miodrag Živković - leader (archive)". LSCG. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  3. ↑ "Agreement on cooperation in legislative and executive branch". LSCG. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  4. ↑ "Documentation - Trsteno affair". LSCG. Retrieved 29 February 2016.

External links

See also

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