Montenegro to vet prime ministerial and ministerial candidates — Balkan Insight
Montenegro’s parliament in Podgorica has adopted constitutional changes providing for integrity checks of candidates for the posts of prime minister and government members before their nomination. The purpose of the innovation is to identify potential conflicts of interest and take measures prescribed by law to eliminate such risks.
As Balkan Insight reports, the initiative was supported by the ruling coalition, independent MPs and one MP from the opposition European Alliance. The largest opposition Democratic Party of Socialists and the pro-Serbian Democratic People’s Party were not present during the vote.
The law will define the details of the checks
The government also agreed to introduce an additional constitutional amendment at the request of independent MPs, the European Alliance and the United Reform Action party. It provides for the adoption of separate legislation that will set out in detail the procedure for conducting integrity checks.
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Deputy Prime Minister for the Political System, Justice and Anti-Corruption Momo Koprivica said that the rules would not prohibit business owners from holding the posts of prime minister or minister. At the same time, they will have to choose between public office and continuing to do business with the state.
Opposition position and EU negotiations
The Democratic Party of Socialists opposed both the original and updated versions of the proposal. The party believes that such checks should be regulated by law, conducted before elections, and that the procedure should be ensured by clear criteria and legal guarantees.
The adopted changes are seen as a step toward Montenegro fulfilling its obligations under Chapter 23 of the EU accession negotiations, which covers the judiciary, fundamental rights, the rule of law, anti-corruption measures and the accountability of officials. After the provisional closure of three more chapters on October 12, Montenegro has provisionally closed 21 of the 33 negotiating chapters.
