Montenegrin officials and opposition discuss constitutional integrity checks

Representatives from the Montenegrin government, the ruling majority, and the opposition met at the European Union Delegation in Podgorica to discuss proposed constitutional amendments. The central focus of the discussions is the introduction of mandatory integrity checks for the Prime Minister-designate and candidates for the Cabinet prior to the formation of the executive branch.

The meeting included EU diplomats, parliamentary club representatives, Deputy Prime Minister for Justice, Political System and Anti-Corruption Momo Koprivica, and Minister of Justice Bojan Božović. While a compromise model for constitutional and legal solutions was presented to the opposition, no concrete agreement was reached.

The amendments follow a recent parliamentary session where a two-thirds majority required for constitutional changes was not met. The EU representatives emphasized the necessity of these integrity checks and welcomed the government's willingness to engage in dialogue as Montenegro enters the final stages of its EU accession negotiations. The opposition and the European Commission are expected to express their positions by Monday, with the goal of finalizing the process by the middle of next week.