In the public debate on the Draft of Amendments to the Law on the Prosecution, which the opposition expects will be sent to the Venice Commission, diplomatic representatives, representatives of the civil sector, and parliamentary parties should participate tomorrow - they expect in the Government.
"VIjesti" was told that those interested in the reform of the prosecutor's law confirmed their presence.
Opposing views on the Draft Law were also announced yesterday, after the meeting in the Parliament of the Deputy Prime Minister Dritan Abazović with the representatives of the opposition, as well as the extended session of the Supreme State Prosecutor's Office.
In the joint statement of the Extended Session of the Supreme State Prosecutor's Office, the Prosecutor's Council and the Association of State Prosecutors, it is stated that the practice of violating the Constitution and the law and ignoring the expert opinions of all relevant domestic and international entities continues by not following regular procedures.
"The analysis of the proposed legal solutions unequivocally confirms that the sole motive and ultimate goal of amending the Law on the State Prosecutor's Office is to ensure political control over the State Prosecutor's Office, with the prior discrediting and dismissal of certain holders of the prosecutor's office, and all of which would be achieved through the actions of the ruling political majority, through the members of the Prosecutor's Office council elected by the Parliament of Montenegro and representatives of the Ministry of Justice. The presentation of allegedly other motives for the adoption of the envisaged law is only a cover behind which the clear intentions of the proponent are hidden...," the announcement states, among other things.
The opposition told reporters after the meeting with Abazović that he announced that he would send the final Draft of Amendments to the Law on the Prosecutor's Office, after a public hearing, to the Venice Commission for a statement on it.
The Vice Prime Minister explained to "Vijesta" that he said that, "as far as he is personally concerned, he has no problem sending the agreed text of amendments to the law to the Supreme Court for a statement."
Representatives of the parliamentary opposition made remarks that were also heard at the public debate on Monday. They related to the possibility of electing someone from outside the prosecutor's organization as acting supreme state prosecutor, increasing the number of "non-prosecutors" in the Prosecutor's Council. Complaints also concern the disciplinary proceedings against the prosecutors.
They, as well as representatives of the Prosecutor's Office, criticized the fact that it is not yet known who is the author of the Draft Amendments.
After the debate on Monday, Abazović told journalists that the document was prepared by his cabinet, and that it was then agreed with the leaders of the parliamentary majority. According to "Vijesti" information, lawyers who are non-partisan figures also helped in the final version.
SDP Vice President Bojan Zeković believes that the opinion of the Supreme Court on the text of the proposal will be the same as on the previous proposals of prosecutorial laws.
"It is unacceptable that we have disavowed the constitutional norm by two-thirds by introducing the possibility that a person from outside the prosecutor's organization be elected as the Supreme State Prosecutor (VDT) in acting status, and at the same time we change the structure of the Prosecutor's Council by increasing the number of non-prosecutors, who are elected by simple majority, which the current authority and the termination of the mandate of all current members of the Council", Zeković said.
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According to the current law, TS members from the ranks of distinguished lawyers are elected in the Assembly by a simple majority, in contrast to the members of the Judicial Council, which require a qualified majority.
Zeković also said that the necessity of personal changes in the prosecutor's office cannot justify normative regression.
SD MP Boris Mugoša said that "through the legal norms, space has been created for classic politicization of the prosecutor's organization."
He believes that it is not good to use the classic substitution of theses that anyone who is against such a Draft is against the fight against organized crime and corruption." The wish of all of us is to improve the normative and essential work of the State Prosecutor's Office. It is often heard from Europe that we have a correct legal framework, but that the problem is in implementation. We can also improve that part in the normative part, but not in a way that normatively regresses, and I think that the draft in this form is a classic normative regression in the part of the prosecution system", said Mugoša.
Albanian List MP Genci Nimanbegu said that this is a sham of a public debate, but that he "appreciates the political courage of the Deputy Prime Minister to take on something that is difficult to take on".
"We are now at the end of the fourth month, and we do not have a state budget. That budget is blocked because the DF's request is that nothing will be voted on until the prosecutorial laws are changed," said Nimanbegu.
"We are getting into a situation where conflicts are intensifying at all levels. I conveyed a clear message, we are ready to talk, but in a real dialogue to determine proposals that are in the interest of the state and citizens and some political orientations. Dialogue between the opposition and the position is necessary," he said to Nimanbeg.
Pažin resented the calls to the apartment
According to unofficial information from "Vijesti", the beginning of the meeting in the Assembly was marked by a discussion between Abazović and DPS representative Zoran Pažin, because the former Minister of Justice resented the "name-calling" in connection with the apartment he received from the state on favorable terms. He told Abazović that everything was according to the law and that he would prosecute him otherwise, said a participant in the meeting.
Pažin did not answer "Vijesti" whether it was true that he argued with Abazović over the apartment. He also did not appear in front of the press yesterday after the conversation with the Deputy Prime Minister.
Earlier yesterday, at the press conference of Abazović and the head of the expert team of the National Council for Combating Corruption at a high level, Vanja Ćalović Marković, information was presented about the favorable conditions under which officials of the former government, including Pažin, received loans and apartments from the Government.
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