Obtaining the Report on Fulfillment of Temporary Benchmarks (IBAR) must not be an alibi for non-European moves by the authorities, said the executive director of the Center for Democratic Transition (CDT), Dragan Koprivica.
On the occasion of the government's year of work, he said that the government in Montenegro made a significant success by obtaining the IBAR and that this was undoubtedly its most significant result.
"However, instead of it being an incentive for the implementation of essential reforms, the government started to use that open space for various undemocratic and non-reform practices," Koprivica added.
According to him, the government made the wrong assessment that everything will be allowed because of IBAR.
CDT, after analyzing the presentation of the mandate holder, the effects of the Government in the first 100 days, and a cross-section of its work in the first nine months, today published the document "The first year of the Government of Montenegro under scrutiny: From reform momentum to political deviation".
As it was added, the document sublimated the work of the Government in the first year from the point of view of the scope of the CDT.
"Despite the shortcomings of some legal solutions and the lack of transparency of the process, undoubtedly the most significant result of the coalition government are the conclusions of the intergovernmental conference at which the countries of the European Union (EU) approved the receipt of IBAR, which enables Montenegro to move to the next stage of the accession process and close the negotiation chapters." , said Koprivica.
He stated that the political success of the Government in establishing an agreement regarding the implementation of the census last year is also worth mentioning.
It is said that the census satisfied all parties and was a key cause of reducing tensions that threatened to turn into more serious social misunderstandings.
"After a good start, in the actions of the Government and the coalition government, moves were made that cannot be characterized as democratic or European and will very likely have a negative impact on the further dynamics of the country's European path," said Koprivica.
The reconstruction of the Government, as he stated, was carried out non-transparently, with non-compliance with democratic rules and standards, and non-compliance with procedures in the Assembly.
Koprivica assessed that the reconstruction of the Government is a clear expression of unprincipled political trade and partitocracy.
"We got a Government with the largest number of members in Europe (32). The political concept on which the reconstructed executive power rests is more reminiscent of post-Dayton Bosnia and Herzegovina, tailored along ethnic-entrepreneurial seams, and significantly less of the government of a civil state," Koprivica believes.
According to him, since the program was not officially changed after the reconstruction, the way the government was formed, the number of its members and their qualifications, the division of departments and the way they were formed, clearly show that this approach makes meaningless the promise from the exposé of the mandate - the establishment of a system of meritocracy.
"Unfortunately, instead of the IBAR and significant support in the Assembly after the reconstruction being positive for the new majority, it turned out that they have become a negative turning point in the functioning of the government", assessed Koprivica.
He said that several very problematic moves by the coalition government and the Government followed the laurels of glory due to receiving IBAR.
Koprivica stated that the legislative process in both the Government and the Assembly is extremely non-transparent.
"And it is clear that the government does not want an inclusive society. Even the key laws that deal with the Europe Now 2 program were adopted in an insufficiently transparent procedure," Koprivica added.
He said that the electoral reform has not produced tangible results so far.
"In the campaign for local elections in Podgorica, we witnessed the abuse of public resources and functions and the wanton abuse of all institutional capacities for the promotion of electoral lists," said Koprivica.
The process is open, as he said, hitting the non-governmental sector and a campaign of pressure on all those who opposed the adoption of the law on foreign agents, an act condemned by all relevant domestic and international democratic actors.
"Although part of the government has spoken out against that act, the fact remains that a Deputy Prime Minister is actively participating in this campaign," Koprivica said.
He believes that the initiation of the procedure for the adoption of the law on dual citizenship, about which the EU has again publicly expressed its reservations, can be a reason for the political destabilization of society, and thus the process of European integration.
Koprivica said that in addition to the progress in EU integration and the correct fulfillment of NATO obligations, the government led to the deterioration of relations with its neighbors, and its vice president was declared an undesirable person in Croatia.
"These and other political moves of the Government call us to caution and the need for increased monitoring of government activities. We will see which path the Government will choose", concluded Koprivica.
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