Nikolić: There will be no debate on the laws on the ANB and internal affairs today, you can just arrest us

The Draft Law on Internal Affairs and the Draft Law on the National Security Agency (ANB) are expected to be before the members of the Parliament of Montenegro today.

Yesterday, the government adopted amendments to the proposed amendments to the Law on the National Security Agency and the Law on Internal Affairs, and as they announced, this was done after months of consultations with the European Commission, after which "the conditions were created for the implementation of the Directive relating to the GDPR, i.e. the protection of personal data."

"The amendments fully enable the harmonization of the aforementioned legal solutions with the GDPR as an obligation in the part of closing negotiation chapters, in accordance with the request of the European Commission," the Government statement reads.

Since the end of July, communication has been ongoing with the European Commission regarding the Draft Law on the National Security Agency and the Draft Law on Internal Affairs to harmonize the final text, which plan serious reforms in the security sector.

The proposed legal changes were blocked this summer after numerous criticisms from NGOs and the professional community, due to the proposed changes and the non-transparent process.

Minister of Interior Danilo Šaranović said that this is a legal text that was made available for inspection a year ago.

"We wanted to conduct additional consultations with the EC so that no one would have any doubts that this was a unilateral law passed by any institution," said Šaranović.

He reminded that the draft law has been on the agenda for 25 days and that there are no statements that they did not have time to familiarize themselves with it.

"The amendments are the result of months of coordination with the relevant directorates of the European Commission. Anyone who is not only declaratively, but also substantially in favor of Montenegro's European path and respecting the agreed dynamics for fulfilling the final benchmarks will support these laws. If this law is not adopted, Montenegro will not be able to close negotiation chapter 24 within the defined deadline," said Šaranović in the Parliament of Montenegro.

The Minister of Interior said that he was asked several times whether he had provided the resources to ensure the safety of citizens, and then reiterated that if the amendments are not adopted, "we will not be able to protect, with the personnel capacity, primarily the borders of Montenegro, which should also become the borders of the EU," said Šaranović.

He said that they now have 900 Border Police officers, and another 1000 are missing, explaining that in a year, as many as 600 of them will be eligible for retirement.

SD MP Boris Mugoša said that this practice is unprecedented and that the amendments to the laws on the ANB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs have not been harmonized with the European Commission.

"The government published them on the website. We didn't get them. This is nowhere to be found. Don't do this. The last phase of negotiations with the EU is not just the phase of the majority but of everyone. We will not support you if you do this. No, because we are against the EU. Is it possible that we are discussing something today that has not been submitted to us. What a pain it is to do this," Mugoša asked.

Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Zdenka Popović said that the parliamentary groups will receive amendments during the day.

"I have been informed that they have been agreed with the European Commission. These laws must be adopted by March 1," said Popović.

DPS MP Andrija Nikolić said that laws must be harmonized with the European legal order, and that this information is not available today.

"Before, they used to come to the Parliament to defend laws, now that's not possible. This is an imposed decision. There will be no debate on the laws on the ANB and internal affairs today. You can only arrest us," said Nikolić.

He said that the opposition would not agree, and the debate could be held during the regular session when MPs and the public are informed about the amendments.

Vladislav Bojović from the DNP proposed a break to hold the collegium, emphasizing that the deputies did not deserve to have these two legal texts "served to them towards the end of the session."

The Deputy Speaker of Parliament said that they wanted the collegium to be held, but that they were told by the opposition that "they don't want it."

She paused.

This is a continuation of the session from February 2, when amendments to these two legal texts were included in the agenda.

Vuković Kuč: A government that does not need opposition is not a government, but a tyranny

A government that does not need the opposition is not a government, but a tyranny, said MP Aleksandra Vuković Kuč.

"They prosecuted parliamentarianism. They arrested the speech of the deputies. They imprisoned the Parliament of Montenegro. They stole our roles. They don't let us read the laws and talk about them. The police state mocks European Montenegro. A government that doesn't need the opposition is not a government, but a tyranny," she said in a post on Iksu.

"To the government's hand-pickers, who have ceased to be MPs and become obedient followers who run away from debate, we say: shame on you for turning Parliament into a cheap decoration of the executive branch — into a patchwork," she added.