DPS: By passing the law on foreign agents, the ruling majority blocks the entry of Montenegro into the EU

The Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) announced that nthe statement of the coalition for the future of Montenegro that it will initiate the adoption of the law on foreign agents "is a direct anti-European act that will inevitably stop Montenegro on its way to membership in the European Union".

If this is allowed, they add from the DPS, the ruling majority will finally and quite openly prove that it is attached to European values ​​only declaratively, but not essentially.

"What is happening in practice is what the Democratic Party of Socialists has been pointing out since the constitution of this government - it was only a matter of time when we will feel the dictatorship implemented in countries like Russia, Kyrgyzstan or Georgia. The contested legal solution will enable the authorities to target civil society organizations and independent media, i.e. introducing the practices of authoritarian regimes, stifling free thought, persecuting dissenters and labeling civil society as foreign agents and state enemies. It is precisely this kind of 'Russian law' that Moscow uses to stigmatize independent media, organizations and individuals who are critical of the Kremlin," the DPS announced.

They remind that such a legal solution cost Georgia its membership in the EU, that its accession was halted, and that part of the financial support to the country was frozen just after the Georgian authorities adopted the controversial law.

"The adopted law set Georgia back in three of the nine steps proposed by the European Commission to this country in order to speed up its accession to the alliance - the fight against disinformation and polarization, ensuring fundamental rights and the involvement of civil society associations. We call on the non-governmental sector and independent media to defend their Constitution guaranteed rights and not to allow a dictatorship to be introduced in Montenegro under the guise of legal regulation of this area. Montenegrin legislation already has provisions that require NGOs to register and submit financial reports and that enable the financial operations of NGOs. , including the sources of their financing, will be the subject of controls by all competent authorities, the DPS concludes.