Agreement between the government and the opposition: amendments to the law on the police and the ANB by July 31st, the Constitution to be amended by September 4th

The government and the opposition will ensure the adoption of amendments to the laws on internal affairs and the National Security Agency (ANB) by July 31st at the latest, in accordance with the agreed solutions, and by the same date, a special working body will be formed to monitor the implementation of these regulations.

This is stated in the agreement on overcoming the parliamentary crisis in a key phase of Montenegro's European integration process, which was published on the social network "Iks" by European Union MP Boris Mugoša.

With 74 MPs voting in favor and three against, the Parliament of Montenegro launched the process of amending the Constitution today. MPs from the Democratic People's Party (DNP) voted against.

The document states that the amendments to the law will relate to the procedure for establishing and the composition of the Commission for the Verification of Security Disturbances in the Law on Internal Affairs, as well as to strengthening the mechanisms of judicial control in the Law on the National Security Agency.

The signatories of the document from the government and the opposition pledged to intensify efforts to elect two judges to the Constitutional Court without delay, through political dialogue and in continuous communication with the head of state, Jakov Milatović.

"The signatories of the document commit to conducting an inclusive dialogue on all appointments carried out through procedures in the Parliament of Montenegro, which will be implemented with the broadest consent of the parliamentary majority and the parliamentary opposition," the document states.

It is also stated that the signatories of the document confirm their readiness to adopt priority amendments to the laws in the field of electoral legislation (the Law on the Election of Councilors and Representatives, the Law on Financing Political Entities and Election Campaigns, and the Law on the Election of the President) by July 31, in accordance with the requirements of the accession negotiations between Montenegro and the EU.

"The signatories of this document undertake not to amend the laws that were within the competence of the Committee for Comprehensive Electoral Reform without a previously achieved consensus between the government and the opposition. The signatories of this document undertake not to unilaterally initiate amendments to (the set of electoral) laws before the 2027 elections," the document states.

It is also stated that the signatories of the document agreed to form a working body by July 31st that will define a model for establishing additional institutional mechanisms of oversight and control in order to prevent potential irregularities during the election campaign in the upcoming elections.

"The model will be adopted no later than September 4, 2026, and will be applied from January 2027. If the model is not adopted by the specified deadline, but it is indisputably established that there is a clear political will and measurable results have been achieved in the work on its harmonization, missing this deadline will not constitute an obstacle to continuing the decision-making process on constitutional changes," it added.

"In accordance with the requirements of the accession negotiations between Montenegro and the European Union, the signatories of this document agree to support amendments to the Constitution and other decisions that require a qualified majority in the Parliament of Montenegro. The signatories of this document have agreed to implement all procedures regarding amendments to the Constitution no later than September 4, 2026. The signatories of this document have agreed that the political dialogue on issues of particular importance for the further progress of Montenegro on its path towards membership in the European Union will continue in the coming period," the document states.

Mugoša: Montenegro won

Boris Mugoša stated in a post on "Iks" that, when an agreement is reached that strengthens the country's European path, there are no losers.

"Montenegro won. Its citizens won. Its European future won. The true measure of the political maturity of all actors will be the consistent and full implementation of the agreement, because only the consistent implementation of the commitments undertaken can justify today's expectations and give new momentum to Montenegro's European integration," he assessed.