Postponed discussion on the rules of work of the Committee for Comprehensive Reform of Electoral and Other Laws

"It is torture for the citizens that we cannot get out of the procedures, and we need to propose laws by November," said Boris Mugoša (SD).
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From the Board sessions, Photo: Boris Pejović
From the Board sessions, Photo: Boris Pejović
Disclaimer: The translations are mostly done through AI translator and might not be 100% accurate.

The Committee for Comprehensive Reform of Electoral and Other Laws will consider adopting the rules of operation of that body.

Deputies of Democratic Montenegro Momo Koprivica and Danilo Šaranović proposed at today's session the adoption of the rules of procedure according to which the Board would function, and which would, among other things, prescribe the way of working, convening sessions, and decision-making in the Board.

Danilo Šaranović, Momo Koprivica
Danilo Šaranović and Momo Koprivica(Photo: Boris Pejović)

The Democrats demanded that proposals that reach the Committee for approval must be supported by 11 of the 14 members of that body.

Despite the Democrats' insistence that the proposed rules of procedure be discussed today, the discussion was postponed because it was presented to them that the Decision on the Establishment of the Committee for the Comprehensive Reform of Electoral and Other Laws stipulates that the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament of Montenegro should be consulted if necessary, and that the proposal they submitted would have to to be harmonized with that decision and the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly.

Nedjeljko Rudovic
Nedjeljko Rudovic(Photo: Boris Pejović)

Independent MP Neđeljko Rudović said that it is necessary to agree on the rules of procedure, or the rules on the work of the Committee in the next few days, and then to discuss it at the session.

Professor Đorđije Blažić said that no one came to the Board to talk for hours about the rules of procedure.

Djordje Blažić
Djordje Blažić(Photo: Boris Pejović)

"It is an internal act, a gentleman's agreement, if there are gentlemen. Formal acts cannot depend on the rules of procedure," he said.

DPS deputy Marta Šćepanović said that rules of conduct can be discussed if this is a condition for moving forward with law reforms.

The executive director of the Center for Democratic Transition (CDT), Dragan Koprivica, said that it is necessary for the parliamentary service to prepare rules of conduct, so that they and other proposals can then be discussed.

"We need rules so that we don't receive materials a minute before the session," he said.

Marta Šćepanović, Boris Mugoša
Marta Šćepanović and Boris Mugoša(Photo: Boris Pejović)

Social Democrats (SD) MP Boris Mugoša stated that MPs "torture citizens".

"It is torture for the citizens that we cannot get out of the procedures, and we need to propose laws by November," said Mugoša.

The Democratic MPs initially refused to allow the session to continue unless their proposed rules of procedure for the Committee were discussed, but in the end they agreed to discuss it at one of the following sessions.

Nevertheless, the deputies in the Committee could not reach an agreement on the work of the working groups that function within the Committee, because the Democrats asked for the adoption of a decision on the formation of subgroups in the committee, even though such bodies exist and have been working for a year, which the members of the ruling coalition did not agree to. , stating that the Democrats would thus cancel their work, as well as the work of the civil sector and the academic community.

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