Deputies adopted amendments to the Rules of Procedure

At today's session, MPs adopted changes to the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament of Montenegro.

44 MPs voted for changes to the Rules of Procedure, one MP was against, and there were no abstentions.

The MPs also adopted the Law on Protection from Ionizing Radiation and Radiation and Nuclear Safety and Security.

Amendments to the Rules of Procedure provide that a candidate for the vice-president of the Parliament from minority parties can be proposed by a representative of a minority party, a club of representatives of those parties or a minority party.

The current Rules of Procedure of the Assembly in Article 19 paragraph 2 prescribes that candidates for vice president from minority parties are proposed by all MPs of those parties. The solution proposed by the parliamentary majority does not require unanimous support.

In the explanation of the proposed changes, it is stated that their adoption could be "legally justified by the need to ensure equal rights and opportunities for all deputies, promoting democratic principles and harmonizing with international standards for the protection of minority rights".

The proposal was submitted by Nikola Camaj (AF), Vasilije Čarapić (Movement Europe Now), Slaven Radunović (New Serbian Democracy), Boris Bogdanović (Democrats), Milan Knežević (Democratic People's Party) and Bogdan Božović (Socialist People's Party).

During the discussion, Nikola Rakočević (DPS) said that they are making a request not to deny democratic rights and democratic rights in Montenegro.

He said that the parliamentary majority without a valid reason denies the right to negotiate with parties representing minority nations, but makes a decision that they should decide with a majority of votes who will be the vice-president of the Assembly.

"No deputy or party of less numerous nations has any objection from the opposition. We are not against any solution regarding their representatives in the Parliament, but regardless of that, the need of Montenegrin society is that representatives of minority peoples be in decision-making positions. But to create rifts in this way... you decide to come to a solution in agreement. Now that agreement needs a longer time...", Rakočević said.

Slaven Radunović (NSD) said that the vice-president from among less numerous peoples is something good that was inherited from the previous convocations and there was an intention to agree on it in those parties. He pointed out that there is no chance for an agreement, because both the Albanian parties and the Bosniak party want that position.

"Is it better for none of them to be in the position of vice-president of the Assembly or for someone to be. If they cannot come to an agreement within six months, then another solution should be sought. They cannot come to an agreement because some representatives are in the government and some are in the opposition," said Radunović.

Ervin Ibrahimović (BS) said that representatives of minorities know what is good for them, and asked "how does anyone have the right to decide that it is not good for the vice presidents not to be representatives of minorities".

The head of the Democrat club, Boris Bogdanović, said that six months after the constitution of this convocation of the Assembly, there is no vice-president of the Parliament from the ranks of representatives of less numerous nations:

"This (existing) norm, which was intended to be a bridge between the parties of minority nations, presented itself as a wall that prevents the functioning of the Assembly in its full capacity, leaving the leadership incomplete and the Parliament less legitimate."

He pointed out that the aim of the amendments to the Rules of Procedure is to unblock the election of the Vice President of the Parliament from among representatives of minority nations.

Damir Gutić (BS) said that the Rules of Procedure are now becoming an instrument of reckoning between the parliamentary majority and the minority:

"And not a parliamentary majority over a parliamentary minority, but a parliamentary majority over representatives of minority nations. It is not clear to us why there is such a rush if there is no hidden intention behind the initiatives," said Gutić.

Boris Mugoša (SD) said that he hopes that such changes will not be voted on, stating that the current majority is "the most democratically unconstructive so far".

He pointed out that he is in favor of an unblocking mechanism, but that such mechanisms require a qualified majority:

"We should have agreed on a qualified majority. A potential solution could have qualified one-third of the deputies... If they were to translate it to this now, that's three out of 11. I think that would be a correct measure of a potential compromise," said Mugoša.

Speaking about the second solution, he said that "it is nebulous to protect the majority from the majority with the Rules of Procedure":

"You are now proposing that at the request of the majority, which has the majority in the Board, there must be a control hearing. It is humiliating for the structure of the Rules of Procedure," he said.

Miodrag Laković (PES) said that during the formation of the working bodies of the Assembly, the opposition was offered four parliamentary committees, including the Constitutional Committee, but that they chose to lead three.

Nikola Camaj (AF) said that there were no formal talks, but that they tried to reach an agreement on the vice-presidential position.

"All positions in the executive branch, except for the vice-president from the ranks of the opposition, are a matter of negotiations regarding the agreement to create a majority and support the government," said Camaj.

Amer Smailović (BS) said that if that is the case, the decision concerning the number of vice presidents should be changed and three vice presidents should be appointed from the government and "end the story".

Aleksandra Vuković Kuč (DPS) said that by changing the Rules of Procedure, the ruling majority abolished the control hearing, which was the only opportunity for the opposition and the citizens to hear what the Government was doing, which was created by the will of the citizens.

She pointed out that it is a scandal and that citizens should rebel against what is happening in the Parliament today.

The established practice guaranteed the opposition at least two control hearings during the regular session of the Assembly.

The amendment submitted by the parliamentary majority to the amendments to the Rules of Procedure foresees that at least twice during the regular session of the Parliament of Montenegro, the committee makes a decision on the control hearing - once at the request of one-third of the members of the parliamentary opposition, and the second time at the request of one-third of the members of the committee from the parliamentary majority .

Adrijan Vuksanović (HGI) said that he would not vote for changes to the Rules of Procedure, stating that there had been no discussions with them on that topic.

"We consider this a step backwards," he said.

Nermin Abdić (DPS) said that this is the best proof that it is a political trade, and that the opposition cannot be denied the right to agree on the vice-presidential post.