Montenegro parliamentary ethics system has issued zero sanctions since 2014

An analysis by the Center for Civic Education (CGO) titled ‘Parliamentary Ethics Without Responsibility’ reveals that Montenegro’s parliamentary ethical accountability system has failed to produce a single sanction since the first Code of Conduct was adopted in December 2014 through the end of 2025.

According to the report, only five complaints were filed during this period, none of which resulted in a substantive decision regarding a breach of the Code. Notably, no new complaints have been filed since 2017. CGO argues that the lack of reports does not indicate high ethical standards but rather suggests the mechanism is non-functional. The analysis highlights that incidents involving aggressive, violent, or discriminatory speech were not addressed.

The report identifies several systemic flaws, including the fact that citizens, media, and civil society organizations cannot file complaints directly. Instead, they must rely on political actors. Furthermore, decisions regarding accountability are made by a politically composed Committee for Human Rights and Freedoms, and appeals are handled by the Assembly’s Presidency College, lacking independent or professional oversight. CGO recommends amending the Code to include a wider range of sanctions, expanding the circle of authorized complainants, and introducing independent expert elements into the decision-making process.