The working group of the parliamentary Committee for Electoral Reform, engaged in drafting changes to the party financing law, is anticipated to finalize its stance today regarding the parties’ request for increased budget allocations. However, it remains unclear whether this provision will be included in the draft, expected to be ready by the Committee’s next session early next week, as reported by Vijesti sources.

Insiders indicate that the amendments are approaching completion, with adoption likely by the end of the spring parliamentary session, which concludes in July.

One source from Vijesti noted that it appears all parties are advocating for a budget increase, yet no specific increase amount has been suggested, “since it’s uncertain whether it will be included in the proposal this time.”

“Everyone agrees, but the issue is who will face public backlash for advocating it,” remarked another source.

An informant from the leading ruling party, the Europe Now Movement (PES), believes the opposition’s demand for increased allocations is allegedly influencing the Committee’s progress.

The final draft of the law will be forwarded to the Committee, prior to a public hearing.

The proposed amendments to the party financing law, as previously noted by Committee members, will impose a complete ban on public sector employment during campaigns, alongside restrictions on campaign financing from “third parties.”

It has been suggested that the distribution of budget funds for regular party operations shift from the previous 20 percent to 30 percent, allocated equally among all political entities. Additionally, instead of the current 60 percent, 50 percent will be distributed in proportion to the number of mandates won, while the remaining 20 percent will still be divided equally among representatives of the underrepresented gender.

Currently, according to the Law on Financing Political Entities and Election Campaigns, 0.5 percent of the planned total budget funds, excluding capital projects, are set aside for regular party operations in the Assembly. For electoral campaign funding, 0.25 percent of the current budget is allocated, with 20 percent distributed equally to parties eight days after the electoral list submission deadline, and the remainder going to parties that secure mandates.

Social Democrat (SD) MP and Committee member Nikola Zirojevic affirmed to Vijesti that the draft law is in its final stages, with most matters internally agreed upon by committee members.

He expressed optimism that this law could be passed by the end of the spring parliamentary session, specifically by the last working day in July.

“This law appears to be one on which we might reach the easiest consensus. There aren’t any significant changes, like the proposal for all local elections to occur on the same day or changes to open lists… These are largely technical matters we have collectively agreed upon, focusing only on nuances to discuss,” Zirojević remarked.

He emphasized that the debate is not over whether changes should be made, but about how best to implement the recommendations and expectations.

“I sincerely hope that all deputies will support the law,” he added.

Zirojević also mentioned that discussions regarding budget allocation to parties took place, and he believes “some consensus has been achieved.”

Revisions to electoral laws necessitate backing from two-thirds of the full Assembly (54 out of 81 MPs), meaning opposition votes are crucial for this process.

President of the Montenegrin Parliament Andrija Mandic (New Serbian Democracy) recently declared during a meeting with a European Parliament Budget Committee delegation that reforming electoral legislation is one of the foremost tasks the Parliament needs to address.

“Recently, within the parliamentary majority, we explored the possibility of passing the Law on the Election of Councilors and Representatives before the end of July. This will also hinge on discussions with the opposition, but I am confident we can achieve it,” Mandić stated.

The Electoral Reform Committee resumed its efforts on March 27 following a three-month hiatus. During that time, the Committee concluded that a working group meeting should occur by April 9, with all suggestions regarding the draft law on party financing to be submitted by then. They also indicated that NGOs should provide a roadmap for forming working groups to continue the remaining legislative work on electoral reform.

During a meeting on April 24, the working group deliberated on the suggestions received regarding the current draft, which were submitted by the State Audit Institution, the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption, and affiliated members from the non-governmental and academic sectors.

At that meeting, as announced by Parliament, it was decided that the draft law would be sent out for public debate following the harmonization of proposed norms.

A new non-paper from the European Commission (EC), concerning Montenegro’s advancements in chapters 23 (judiciary and fundamental rights) and 24 (justice, freedom, security), reveals that the legal framework governing party financing still suffers from inadequacies in coverage, clarity, and implementation.

“The Law on Financing Political Entities and Election Campaigns has yet to be amended to fully meet European standards, despite Montenegro’s obligation to prioritize this by the end of 2024. Particularly, the current laws do not align with GRECO and ODIHR recommendations, necessitating substantial increases in transparency, more efficient oversight of political party spending, prevention of state resource misuse, and the introduction of dissuasive penalties,” the non-paper states.

Moreover, it indicates that the existing legal framework does not provide effective mechanisms to prevent rule circumvention or enforce penalties for violations.

Additionally, the EC warns that the Law on the Election of Councilors and Representatives is still not aligned with the Law on Financing Political Entities and Election Campaigns, creating further obstacles for proper regulation of election campaign financing.

The Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO), in its annual report for 2024 released yesterday, also urged legislative reforms to address “loopholes” in the area of party financing transparency.

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