At today's session, the Administrative Committee of the Parliament of Montenegro adopted a request for a decision on the realization of a special allowance for judges of the Constitutional Court of Montenegro.
The Committee also adopted the formation of a working group to select a member of the Council of the Agency for Personal Data Protection and Free Access to Information.
At today's meeting, the agenda included the continuation of the procedure for appointing one member of the Council of the Agency for Personal Data Protection and Free Access to Information, a request for a decision on the realization of a special allowance for judges of the Constitutional Court of Montenegro, as well as current issues.
Opposition MPs were not present.
Europe Now (PES) MP Jelena Nedović recalled that a call was issued, but that the Administrative Board did not select a member of the Council, and that a new call was issued.
"To date, the following candidates have applied: Bojana Jokić, tourism management specialist, Biljana Božić, law graduate, Muhamed Đokaj, law graduate and Tatjana Topalović, law graduate. Here we see that out of all the candidates, we have only one new candidate and candidates who previously applied but were not accepted by this committee. The new candidate is Tatjana Topalović," she said, adding that she proposes that the working group for the selection remain the same - Bogdan Božović (Socialist People's Party) who is also the work coordinator, Jelena Kljajević (Democratic People's Party) and Ana Novaković Đurović (Civil Movement URA).
Nedović called on the opposition to inform the committee or Božović if they want another member instead of Novaković Đurović.
The proposal to form a working group was adopted by a majority of votes in favor.
The second point is the Request for a Decision on the Realization of a Special Supplement for Judges of the Constitutional Court of Montenegro and she reminded that the President of that court, Snežana Armenko, addressed the committee on this issue.
The supplement would amount to up to 60 percent of the basic salary.
All deputies present voted for this proposal.
When it comes to current issues, deputies are discussing a request to increase the remuneration for the work of the president and members of the Management Board of the Fund for the Protection and Exercise of Minority Rights.
Nedović recalled that in March last year, the Administrative Board made a decision on the amount of compensation as a temporary solution, which was a solution until the amendment to the Law on Minority Rights and Freedoms, which did not regulate the issue of compensation for the presidents and members of the Fund's management board.
"We are put in a situation where we have to make a decision on our own initiative, which we are not obliged to do and we did once as a temporary solution, about how much the compensation for the board of directors will be. I think we cannot do this without consulting the Ministry of Finance. Another thing, the Committee for Human and Minority Rights should have gone along with this initiative. We cannot, I am of the same opinion, determine someone's compensation," she pointed out.
Albanian Forum MP Nikola Camaj said that their request was appropriate so that these people would be equal to people in other committees, and that he would recommend urgency towards the ministry, and the reintroduction of some temporary measures.
Democratic Montenegro MP Duško Stjepović said that the interim decision would be political, not legal, and that the decision should be postponed, but that if the others decide to vote, he would not be a hindrance.
Kljajević said that their income is low, but that she agrees with Stjepović and that they should decide together.
It was unanimously agreed to postpone the decision and refer it to the ministry.
The next current issue is the letter from the Ministry of Defense.
"At its session on October 3, 2024, the Government of Montenegro adopted a decision to establish an interdepartmental commission to counter hybrid threats. Minister of Defense Dragan Krapović was appointed chairman of the commission. It is stipulated here that the chairman, members and secretary are entitled to a remuneration in the amount of 30 percent of the average gross salary in Montenegro. We were approached by the Ministry that we are the ones who make the decision to pay the minister," Nedović announced, adding that the committee is not competent, but the Government, and that the committee will send a response to the Ministry of Defense that it is not competent.
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