PODGORICA – Jakov Milatović, President of Montenegro, changed his mind and decided to proclaim 25 “blue-flagged” laws, which he had initially planned to return to MPs “for reconsideration”. According to Milatović, expecting them to be read and seriously considered by the Parliament would have no effect.
“The current composition of the Parliament is such that the laws will, unfortunately, be adopted without reading and substantive debate. That is why I proclaimed the adopted laws, because if they were to be returned to MPs, with the expectation that they would be read and seriously considered, would have no effect”, Milatović remarked in today’s press release, as reported by Vijesti.
On 2 February, at two extraordinary sessions, MPs adopted without debate 25 laws deemed necessary to meet the criteria in the country’s accession negotiations with the European Union, but on the following day Jakov Milatović announced that the laws would be sent back to the MPs, as the “European reforms do not mean simply raising hands in the Assembly, or adopting laws without debate and discussion”.
Commenting on Milatović’s announcement, Maida Gorčević, Minister of European Affairs, noted that he was “assuming the role of the main brake on the European path”, adding that returning the laws to the Parliament would not mean additional debate, “but solely a postponement of their adoption”.
At the same time, it was reported by Vijesti that such a decision “could slow down the closing of some negotiating chapters in March or April”.
In today’s press release, the President of Montenegro denied the claims that he wanted to slow down the EU accession process of the country.
“Everyone in Montenegro knows the truth: the EU path is hindered by the obstruction of the election of judges of the Constitutional Court, by the situation in the domains of security and justice… The EU’s path is hampered by non-transparent agreements with the UAE, which suspend our laws, violate the Constitution and bypass European procedures. The EU’s path is hampered by a weak economy and party employment”, he remarked.
Milatović added that the “EU path is hindered by the fact that we do not have laws on the Government and the Assembly, as well as elections in Šavnik, which have been lasting for four years”, as well as by “a lack of progress in electoral reform, and crime-related persons holding high-state positions”.
