The successful completion of electoral reform is crucial for Montenegro’s goal to temporarily close all negotiation chapters by the end of 2026, according to the Delegation of the European Union (EU) in Podgorica.

In an interview with ”Vijesti” regarding the resumption of the Comprehensive Electoral Reform Committee’s activities following a three-month halt, they highlighted that the commitment to finalizing electoral reform is a central element of the political agreement reached between the government and the opposition on March 15.

“We appreciate the Committee’s ambition to swiftly finalize the Draft Amendments to the Law on Financing of Political Entities and Election Campaigns and to expedite work on the remaining aspects of electoral legislation to achieve comprehensive reform by the end of 2025, including the decision to conduct all local elections on the same day,” they stated.

The Committee reconvened on Thursday after a three-month hiatus, setting a deadline of April 9 for comments and suggestions on the Draft Amendments to the Law on Financing Political Entities and Election Campaigns. According to the work schedule, a decision on the amendments is expected by April 15. The proposed changes include a complete prohibition on public sector employment during campaigns and restrictions on campaign financing from third parties.

Additionally, the proposal suggests increasing the distribution of budget funds for regular party activities from the previous 20 percent to 30 percent, with the remaining funds allocated at 50 percent based on the number of mandates won, down from the current 60 percent (the last 20 percent is distributed equally according to the number of elected representatives of the underrepresented gender, as stipulated by law).

The Committee’s three-month blockage stemmed from the opposition’s decision to withdraw from participation late last year in protest against Parliament’s decision regarding Dragana Đuranović’s termination from the Constitutional Court. After a portion of the opposition signed an agreement with Prime Minister Milojko Spajić (PES) on March 15 to address the political crisis, they returned to parliamentary sessions last week, thus unblocking the Committee formed in December 2023.

Between January and early April last year, the Committee held four sessions before pausing until the end of June due to a portion of the opposition conditioning its continuation on the withdrawal of a decision to impose compulsory administration in Šavnik. Following the government’s compliance with this condition, a session was held at the end of June, agreeing to extend the work deadline for an additional year (until the end of this year instead of the previous end of 2024) and to concentrate on the Draft Law on Financing Political Entities and Election Campaigns.

This body has achieved limited results over the years due to party and political conflicts. It has been over a decade since the last amendments to electoral laws. The situation remained contentious through 2020 under DPS governance and persisted even after former opposition parties assumed power, with recurring promises to amend electoral legislation, cleanse voter lists, etc.

The Committee resumed its work on Thursday after a three-month blockade, establishing April 9 as the deadline for feedback and suggestions.

The opposition, or the current government, had previously blocked the Committee during various parliamentary sessions due to several issues, including the Law on Freedom of Religion and disagreements regarding the appointments of non-governmental sector representatives to the Committee.

Revisions to the electoral legislation and constitutional changes (to professionalize the judiciary and prosecution) are among the primary obligations in Montenegro’s Reform Agenda for this year, which the European Commission has accepted as a prerequisite for Montenegro to access funds from the EU’s Western Balkans Growth Plan.

Amendments to the Constitution and electoral laws necessitate the support of two-thirds of the total number of MPs (54 out of 81), indicating that the process cannot conclude without opposition votes.

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