EU concerned by controversial law in Montenegro to restrict president's powers

BELGRADE, Serbia

The European Union said Tuesday that it is deeply concerned by a controversial law in Montenegro that restricts the president's powers to form a government.

''All legislative acts should be in line with the constitution. All political stakeholders should refrain from any action that could further deepen the institutional crisis and undermine the country’s democratic institutions,'' Foreign Affairs spokesperson Petar Stano said in a statement.

The bloc urged Montenegro to build a consensus on urgently forming members of the Constitutional Court.

''To end the current stalemate, the EU urges all actors to prioritize building a consensus on, and urgently appointing, members of the Constitutional Court at the next vote in Parliament on 22 November. The Court’s full functionality is crucial to ensure the legitimacy of democratic elections, among other important matters,'' said Stano.

The EU also said Montenegro's accession to the bloc requires all political actors to support the functionality of the country’s democratic institutions and strengthen the rule of law.

''The accession of Montenegro to the European Union is the strategic choice of an overwhelming majority of Montenegrin citizens and the publicly stated goal of a vast majority of Montenegrin political stakeholders. Montenegro has been a frontrunner among the EU candidate countries. Continued progress on EU accession requires all political actors to support the functionality of the country’s democratic institutions and strengthen the rule of law,'' said Stano.

Thousands gathered in the capital city of Podgorica to protest the controversial law.

Parliament adopted the law Nov. 1 by a narrow majority of 41 votes in the 81-seat parliament.

The law was proposed by the Democratic Front (DF) alliance of pro-Serb parties.

Under the law, the president is obliged to propose a prime minister-designate if the candidate has the majority of the MPs in the House of the Assembly.

If there is no majority, the president has to organize a second round of consultations with political parties and propose another candidate.

The law also enables a majority of MPs to sign a petition and propose a prime minister-designate if the president refuses to propose a candidate.

The Constitution says the president has to organize consultations with parliamentary parties and propose a prime minister-designate with the signed support of at MPs within 30 days.

The decision was supported by the United Reform Action led by Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic and the People's Movement, as well as the Democratic Front, while the regulation received 41 approval votes.

DF Deputy Predrag Bulatovic said President Milo Djukanovic refused to give the mandate to form the government to the candidate who has the support of the majority of the Assembly and argued that the arrangement would solve the political crisis.

But Djukanovic refused to sign the decision and sent the "controversial law" back to parliament.

Djukanovic demanded an early general election and he described the move as a "constitutional coup attempt."

The process of forming a new government started after the government, led by Abazovic, failed to receive a vote of confidence on Aug. 20, which turned into a crisis.

The government, which stirred controversy with the "fundamental agreement" signed with Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Porphyria to give "official status" to the Serbian Church, fell as a result of the vote in the parliament.

While pro-Serbian parties sent Miodrag Lekic's name to Djukanovic to form the government, Djukanovic refused to give the mandate to form the government to Lekic because he did not fulfill the necessary conditions.

Djukanovic said early general elections could be at the beginning of 2023.