The ruling majority intends to adopt the law on the development bank of Montenegro, which is the head of state, in its unchanged form Jakov Milatovic sent back to the Assembly for re-decision, although the EU Delegation again said that the "new" act should be harmonized with the EU legal acquis.
"Vijesti" was unofficially told by the Europe Now Movement (PES) that the law, which was voted on August 17 and returned six days later, will be adopted next week in the same form, without amendments. The interlocutor from that party stated that, "at this stage", there is no need for amendments, and that now it is not even procedurally possible to submit them because the returned regulation is only voted on.
In order for amendments to that law to be submitted, it would be necessary for it not to receive the necessary support for adoption, and for it to be submitted again (or possibly replaced by a new proposal). The returned act was submitted in mid-June by MPs from the PES electoral list.
The interlocutor of "Vijesti" said that representatives of the proponent communicated with the EU Delegation and "clarified ambiguities" regarding the law. She claims that they told her that the by-law will be adopted within a year, and that the law will be harmonized with EU directives when necessary.
The EU delegation told "Vijesti" on September 4 that the "next consideration" is an opportunity for the Assembly "to ensure that the new law is fully compliant with all aspects of the EU acquis, including those that define competition and the framework of the functioning of lending and payment institutions ".
Seven days later, "Vijesti" asked the Delegation, among other things, whether the European Commission (EC) had or planned to have consultations with MPs and the Government regarding the law, and the newspaper was told the previous Saturday that the Commission was aware "of the principle intention to establish a development bank in Montenegro" and to understand that "the law has yet to be adopted".
"As already stated, we encourage the Assembly to ensure that the new law is fully compliant with all aspects of the EU acquis, including those that define competition and the framework of the functioning of lending and payment institutions," it was said.
"Vijesti" was unofficially told by the Ministry of European Affairs (MEP) that at the beginning of last week, they sent the EC an explanation regarding the law, after Brussels asked them to clarify what will happen in the transition period of one year, in which the Investment- the development fund (IRF) should be transformed into a development bank, and the issue of performing deposit-taking activities, which a development bank should have, should be explained to them.
"We explained to them how it would all work, told them what the goal was, stated that this is a framework law, that after a year the implementation of by-laws will begin...", said the source, adding that they did not receive a response from the EC.
The parliamentary session, where the law on the development bank should be voted on again, is scheduled for October 9. The legislative chamber was originally supposed to decide on September 30, but its boss Andrija Mandic, after the request of colleagues from the ruling majority to postpone that work, set a new date for the session.
They requested it, claiming that certain parliamentary clubs, "instead of meaningful discussions, conduct an election campaign, often bypassing the topic that is the subject of the agenda".
Milatović sent the law back for reconsideration, saying, among other things, that "consultations with the EC for the purpose of harmonizing its norms with European standards were also excluded from the legislative process."
In its opinion, the Central Bank (CBCG) indicated that the law is not harmonized with European directives in the part that refers to the collection of deposits and the performance of payment operations, and that the opinion of the EC should be obtained.
The law defines that, in addition to collecting deposits, the development bank will grant loans, provide payment services, ensure the export of goods and services from Montenegro, perform activities related to the sale of capital in the bank's portfolio...
The founding capital of the bank would be 90 million euros, and it would consist of the money that would be taken over from the IRF.
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