VZCZCXRO8574
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHPOD #0068/01 0831828
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241828Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY PODGORICA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1216
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHPOD/AMEMBASSY PODGORICA 1304

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PODGORICA 000068 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL MW
SUBJECT: MONTENEGRO'S ELECTION CAMPAIGN:  SDP'S TOP OFFICIALS 
 
REF: A. A:  PODGORICA 32 
     ¶B. B:  08 PODGORICA 210 
     ¶C. C:  08 PODGORICA 282 
 
PODGORICA 00000068  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Prime Minister Djukanovic's "European 
Montenegro" coalition is the overwhelming favorite to return to 
power in the March 29 parliamentary elections. Should the ruling 
coalition return to power as expected, we predict a number of 
key figures from both parties to remain in the new government. 
Ref A reviewed major Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) 
leaders; this cable looks at the top players in the Social 
Democratic Party (SDP).  End Summary. 
 
 
 
Better Together Than Apart 
 
-------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶2. (SBU) Squabbles and disagreement -- primarily over the pace 
of privatization and development in Montenegro -- between the 
DPS and SDP were front-page news in 2008.  However, Speaker of 
Parliament and president of the SDP Ranko Krivokapic is the one 
to make -- or break -- relations with the DPS, and he 
understands that his current position depends on the DPS (Refs B 
and C). Consequently he has thrown himself and his party 
whole-heartedly into the pre-election campaign with the DPS. 
Though the DPS could likely win a majority without joining 
forces with SDP or the small minority Bosniak Party and Croatian 
Civic Initiative parties who have also joined the "European 
Montenegro" coalition), it is trying to present a pluralistic, 
inclusive image to voters.  At the same time, the DPS has gained 
from diluting the SDP's influence by including the Bosniak and 
Croat parties in the coalition. 
 
 
 
¶3. (SBU) Despite differences between the DPS and SDP, they do 
see eye to eye on many core issues, such as membership in NATO. 
In fact, many observers see the SDP as largely irrelevant 
without the DPS.  According to a January IRI poll, had the SDP 
decided to run alone, its ability to meet the threshold for 
entering parliament would have been questionable (the party 
garnered 1.3 percent support in the poll).  However, 
Krivokapic's decision to remain in the coalition may have not 
only assured his party's return to parliament (with seven seats) 
but ensured that it will retain most of its key positions in the 
next government. 
 
 
 
Number Two 
 
---------- 
 
 
 
¶4. (SBU) Like his expensive new car with the number 002 on its 
license plates, Krivokapic promotes himself as the second most 
important person in the governing coalition (and for that 
matter, in Montenegro).  As Speaker of the Parliament, he sits 
on the Defense and Security Council with the President and the 
PM uses this role to involve himself in foreign policy matters. 
 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) Krivokapic was first elected Speaker of Parliament in 
July 2003 and then again in November 2006. He has been the 
President of the SDP since 2001 (and was the party VP from 1996 
to 2001). Krivokapic has served as an MP in the Montenegrin 
Parliament since 1998 and in 2003 became an MP in the Parliament 
of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro.  He was a founding 
member of the SDP, which advocated Montenegrin independence 
since its inception in 1993, and never misses an opportunity to 
remind interlocutors of his pro-independence credentials.  Born 
and raised in Kotor, Krivokapic also worked in the Kotor local 
government and the nautical-tourist center in Kotor. He 
graduated from the Law Faculty in Belgrade where he obtained a 
master's degree in international law.  Krivokapic, 48, has two 
children. He speaks English fluently. 
 
 
 
SDP Ministers 
 
-------------- 
 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) As part of the pre-election coalition, SDP expects to 
receive three Ministries, and Krivokapic is likely to remain 
 
PODGORICA 00000068  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
Speaker of Parliament.  The party power is held tightly by 
Krivokapic and we assess that the current ministers, still in 
favor with Krivokapic, are likely to be part of the next 
government. 
 
 
 
-- Vujica Lazovic, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Policy 
since 2006 and now also the head of the GoM's new Department for 
Information Technology, is an influential member of the top 
leadership of the SDP. He was born in 1963 in Plav (northern 
Montenegro) where he completed economics high school in 1981. He 
earned his undergraduate degree from the Faculty of Economics in 
Podgorica in 1986, and his Master's Degree in the field of 
information systems from the Faculty of Economics in Belgrade in 
1994, and a PhD from the Faculty of Economics in Podgorica in 
¶1997.  A professor (and former Dean) at the Faculty of Economics 
in Podgorica, Lazovic heads the information systems 
post-graduate studies program and for years has been a strong 
advocate for improving Montenegro's information technology 
infrastructure. 
 
 
 
-- Though often overshadowed publicly by DPS Ministers Luksic 
and Gvozdenovic, Lazovic nevertheless plays an important role in 
shaping Montenegro's economic policy and has chaired a number of 
the country's privatizations tender committees. Lazovic has 
taken several study trips to the U.S. and Great Britain. He is 
married and has a daughter. Lazovic speaks Russian and some 
English, though he prefers not to speak English in official 
meetings. 
 
 
 
-- Jusuf Kalamperovic became Minister of Interior Affairs and 
Public Administration in November 2006 after serving as Deputy 
Prime Minister of the Republic of Montenegro from 2003-2006. 
Kalamperovic was born in Bar in 1945 and served as Deputy Mayor 
of Bar from 1978-1981 and Mayor of Bar from 1986-1989. In 1989, 
Kalamperovic was a Member of the Presidency of the Republic of 
Montenegro.  He left the Communist Party and Government in 1990 
and joined Ante Markovic's Union of Reform Forces. In 1996 he 
became an MP in the Federal Parliament of the FRY. Kalamperovic 
served as Minister for Maritime Trade and Transportation briefly 
in 1993 and then from 1998-2003.  He graduated from the Faculty 
of Law in Belgrade. He does not speak English. 
 
 
 
-- Andrija Lompar became Minister of Maritime Affairs, 
Transportation, and Telecommunication in November 2006 after 
serving in a similar capacity as Minister of Transportation and 
Maritime Economy from January 2003 to 2006. Lompar is a maritime 
expert with an academic background in the maritime industry and 
consulting experience. He was born on November 26, 1956 in 
Cetinje, Montenegro, but was raised on the coast in Kotor. 
Lompar graduated from the Mechanical Engineering Faculty in 
Belgrade in the department for shipbuilding.  He received a 
Master's Degree from the World Maritime University in Sweden in 
1981, and in 1988 earned a PhD from the University of 
Montenegro. He served as Dean of the Maritime Faculty in 
Montenegro from 1990-2003. Lompar is married and has three 
children. He speaks English fluently. 
 
 
 
Other Influential Party Members 
 
------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶7. (SBU) While the following individuals have yet to take a 
place in the cabinet, they are influential within the party and 
are ones to watch in this, and future, governments. 
 
 
 
-- Rifat Rastoder is a founding member of the SDP, party Vice 
President, and Deputy Speaker of the Parliament -- a position he 
has held since 1998 but may lose given the coalition agreement 
with the Bosniak Party which promises the deputy speaker 
position to the Bosniaks.  Before becoming active in politics he 
was a journalist, serving as an editor for the Public Radio and 
Television of Montenegro (RTCG) and for daily newspaper 
"Pobjeda."  He also helped found independent media, Radio 
Antenna M, and supported alternative theater in Montenegro. 
Rastoder is a karate master and U.S. Embassy Podgorica IVLP 
alumnus. Rastoder was born in 1950 near Berane.  He is married 
and has two children. 
 
 
PODGORICA 00000068  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
 
 
-- Ivan Brajovic is another SDP Vice President. A civil engineer 
by education, he has been involved in politics since his youth, 
serving in the 1980s as a member of the Presidency of the Union 
of Socialist Youth of Yugoslavia.  He is one of the founders of 
the SDP and was an SDP MP in the local Danilovgrad parliament, 
the Parliament of Montenegro, and in the Parliament of State 
Union Serbia and Montenegro.  He also is a member of Montenegrin 
delegation in Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe 
(since 2007). Brajovic was born in Podgorica in 1962, is 
married, and has three children.  He speaks some English 
(although is hesitant to use it in meetings) and Russian. 
 
 
 
-- Rasko Konjevic is SDP Spokesperson and one of the youngest 
members of SDP Presidency.  He was born in Podgorica in 1979. 
An economist, Konjevic has a graduate degree from Faculty of 
Economics in Podgorica.  He has participated in numerous 
seminars and expert training programs in various fields of 
economics, as well as numerous training programs in the field of 
public relations, in cooperation with the National Democratic 
Institute Office in Podgorica, and is a U.S. Embassy IVLP 
alumnus as well.  He worked as a journalist for the daily 
newspaper "Vijesti" and was public relations manager for the NGO 
Centre for Democratic Transition.  He is an assistant professor 
for Basics of Management at the private Montenegro Business 
School at Mediteran University (owned by the Atlas business 
group). Konjevic speaks fluent English. 
MOORE