Accelerated appointment of party figures and vetting of politically unsuitable police officers
Sources from the Ministry of Interior and the Police Directorate told ETV Television that the process began following an agreement among senior figures in the security sector: Aleksa Bečić, Danilo Šaranović, and Lazar Šćepanović, who intend to appoint as many Democratic Party loyalists as possible in the coming period, while also removing a large number of politically unsuitable police officers from their positions. All of this is unfolding while political debates between the government and opposition over amendments to the Constitution of Montenegro continue. The same sources claim that the Democratic leadership has received assurances that Brussels will not oppose the process and will delay its demand for a repeated parliamentary vote on allegedly unconstitutional and non-European amendments to the Law on Internal Affairs.
Recent staffing decisions in the security sector indicate that the Democrats of Aleksa Bečić have been implicitly allowed to proceed with appointing their own personnel, alongside an accelerated vetting process within the police.
At the same time, constitutional reform discussions between the government and opposition are ongoing. The details revealed by ETV suggest a key method through which the Democrats aim to establish full control over the security sector: party membership as the primary qualification for state employment.
PARTY „EXPERTS“
A recent government decision by Milojko Spajić’s cabinet - appointing the relatively unknown Nina Kasalica as advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister for Security, Defence, the Fight against Crime, and Internal Policy - illustrates how Bečić’s Democrats are attempting to permeate the entire security apparatus with party-affiliated personnel.
- Considering that the appointee has demonstrated a high level of professionalism and expertise in her previous work engagement, I assess that she will successfully perform the duties of Advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister for Security, Defence, the Fight against Crime and Internal Policy. I therefore propose to the Government that Nina Kasalica be appointed to this position - the statement from the Government reads.
Bečić’s justification for the appointment of his party colleague, Nina Kasalica, is presented as evidence of her extensive experience in security and crime-related matters.
However, in practice, Kasalica is a member of the Democratic Party, vice-president of the party’s Women’s Forum for Nikšić. She was also actively involved in the 2025 local election campaign.
There is no indication that she previously worked on security or organised crime issues.
SECURITY AND STUDENT NUTRITION…
- Young people as drivers of change must have a significant role in every segment of political activity. Their representation in decision-making processes and visibility on the political scene are key prerequisites for the further prosperity of our city - Kasalica said in April 2025 during the local election campaign in Nikšić.
There were no indications at the time that she was interested in, or intended to deal with, security issues. On the contrary, Kasalica’s master’s thesis at the Faculty of Philosophy in Nikšić last year focused on „differences in morphological characteristics and nutritional status among students in the Central and Southern regions of Montenegro“.
It is clear that: Given the lack of professional credentials in defence and security, party membership in the Democrats was the key qualification for her appointment as security adviser to Aleksa Bečić.
SILENCE FROM BRUSSELS
ETV sources in Brussels indicate that the European Union’s current priority is the swift adoption of constitutional amendments. At the same time, the opposition’s request to halt constitutional reforms until amendments to the Law on Internal Affairs are returned to parliamentary procedure is reportedly not aligned with the interests of the Democrats.
This is why Bečić, Šaranović, and Šćepanović are allegedly in a hurry to implement vetting procedures, or purges, within the police before the amendments to the Law on Internal Affairs are reconsidered.
As a result, in late June and early July, the Democrats reportedly began implementing the disputed Law on Internal Affairs. According to ETV sources, around twenty police officers were summoned by the legal department for oral hearings at the Ministry of Interior regarding termination proceedings.
They were informed that new security concerns had been identified and that disciplinary proceedings had been initiated against them.
URGENT ACTION
Sources from the Ministry of Interior and the Police Directorate say the operation began following an agreement among senior security officials - Aleksa Bečić, Danilo Šaranović and Lazar Šćepanović - who are planning to hire a large number of party loyalists from the Democrats while dismissing as many politically unsuitable police officers as possible.
All of this is taking place amid ongoing constitutional debates between the government and opposition. The same sources claim that the Democratic leadership has received assurances that Brussels will not object and will postpone its demand that unconstitutional amendments to the Law on Internal Affairs be returned for reconsideration.
According to these claims, Brussels’ condition for turning a blind eye is that constitutional amendment procedures be initiated in parliament with a two-thirds majority.
In the meantime, the potential dismissal of dozens of police officers, possibly in violation of the law, appears to be of little concern to those involved.