Mugoša: Out of 21 laws proposed by the Government, six are aligned with the EU; Đeljošaj: The goal is more important than how long a law stays in parliamentary procedure

The package of laws marked with the „blue flag“ proposed by the Government sparked sharp debates between the ruling majority and the opposition. While opposition MPs claim that parliamentary rules are being violated and that European integration is being used as a „mask“ to push through controversial solutions quickly, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development Nik Đeljošaj says that the goals of the European path are more important than procedural deadlines.

Social Democrats (SD) MP Boris Mugoša said today in Parliament that out of 21 laws proposed by the Government, six are aligned with the legal acquis of the European Union (EU), stating that these solutions are being used merely as a cover for other matters that will be discussed.

At the beginning of today’s session, Mugoša stated that violations of the Parliament’s Rules of Procedure had continued and that half of the proposed laws could not have been placed on the agenda.

On today’s agenda are the Draft Law on Amendments to the Law on Technical Requirements for Products and Conformity Assessment, the Draft Law on Amendments to the Law on Standardization, the Draft Law on Procedures for Compensation of Damages due to Violations of Market Competition, and the Draft Law on Amendments to the Law on Roads.

- These laws are on the agenda even though they have not been in parliamentary procedure for 15 days. Yet you still placed them on the agenda. You said many laws were submitted under urgent procedure and that for those it takes seven days instead of 15. But even there you violated the Rules of Procedure, because seven days have not passed since they entered urgent procedure. So you committed a double violation of the Rules of Procedure - Mugoša assessed.

Mugoša said they heard that the Government sent the list of laws to Parliament on February 27, but that the opposition did not know about it until March 10.

- I don’t know why this is being hidden from us. Even there you did not tell us the truth - Mugoša said.

Yesterday, he added, they learned that on March 6 the agenda had been supplemented with 21 laws proposed by the Government.

- You know the story that all the laws are aligned with the EU? Do you know how many actually are? Six. And what are we doing? We are waiting like loaded rifles at the starting line for the overnment to tell us: „Now we have received the opinion, and tomorrow you will discuss them“. A complete abuse of EU integration, a mask used for other matters, which you are pushing through laws that are anti-European and unconstitutional - Mugoša stated.

According to him, there is no longer any agreement with the parliamentary majority.

- We agreed that you would at least give us one week for discussions. You said there was no problem, and then we got a day and a half - Mugoša said.

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Mirsad Nurković said the laws were placed in parliamentary procedure on February 26 and that the procedures were respected.

He also said that the opinion of the European Commission (EC) had arrived for six laws and that only those would now be discussed.

- There will be no debate on the others until the EC opinion arrives, so I do not see anything controversial in discussing these six for which we have an opinion - Nurković said.

Vuković Kuč: Shameful, Parliament turned into improvisation

Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) MP Aleksandra Vuković Kuč said that everyone together was being subjected to mistreatment by the authorities.

- Until 10 p.m. last night we were waiting for messages in the Collegium group to find out which laws we would discuss the next day. Last night we received a list of numerous laws which had never previously been mentioned as being on the agenda. It is shameful what you are doing to the Montenegrin Parliament - you have turned it into improvisation - Vuković Kuč said.

She added that Parliament was doing nothing to bring Prime Minister Milojko Spajić to answer key questions.

- Instead of democracy, its improvisation is being implemented here. This government is a burden to European integration. There will be no more agreements with us except strict adherence to the Rules of Procedure - she said.

She also stated that civic Montenegro is „in a mouse hole“ while the Europe Now Movement holds power.

- Pljevlja and Nikšić are proof. In that sense they are more radical than colleagues from the New Serbian Democracy, whose president is Vladimir Putin, as Andrija Mandić said. And Čarapić attributes the characteristics of the Soviet Union to the DPS. Čarapić, who a few days ago voted for Stalinist laws on internal affairs and the National Security Agency, which led to the departure of what was definitely the most pro-European and respected MP, Miodrag Laković - Vuković Kuč said.

Čarapić: The opposition’s goal is no longer integration but defending Đukanović

Europe Now Movement MP Vasilije Čarapić said the deadline required for these draft laws to appear on the agenda had passed.

- We will not allow anyone to accuse us of violating the Rules of Procedure when the situation is clear - Čarapić said.

In his view, the opposition’s attitude changed after the arrest of businessman Aco Đukanović.

- After certain circumstances changed, they also changed their attitude toward all state and national goals. Their goal is no longer integration but defending the ranks of the Đukanović family - Čarapić said.

Nikolić: A madhouse, even local cooperatives have a more serious approach

DPS MP Andrija Nikolić said the majority had deceived them dozens of times.

- Yesterday’s agenda could not have been an agenda, and yesterday at the Collegium we established that we must adhere to the Rules of Procedure. After the Collegium we didn’t know whether there would be a session today or tomorrow, and you were supposed to inform us. After 8 p.m., colleague Dejan Đurović called me asking what we should do with organizing the session. I told him we could work only in accordance with the Rules of Procedure and that he should convey that to Andrija Mandić. After that, a message arrived from Mandić in the Collegium group after 10 p.m. saying we would continue today at noon. Later another message arrived saying the session would continue at 11 with new agenda items. A madhouse - even in local community organizations there is a more serious approach - Nikolić said.

He added that they would have to adhere to the Rules of Procedure.

- We will talk about politics later, Mr. Čarapić, and we will also say something about you - Nikolić said.

Đeljošaj: The goal is more important than how many days a law remains in procedure

Minister of Economic Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister Nik Đeljošaj said the Government now works differently compared to last year.

He believes they should not argue about minor procedural issues if everyone’s goal is for Montenegro to join the EU by 2028.

- Our goal is to close 20 negotiating chapters this year and all activities are directed toward that. It is possible that in pursuing that goal some procedure may be shortened by a day, two or three… but I call on Parliament, especially the opposition, to recognize that the goal is more important than how many days a law remains in parliamentary procedure - Đeljošaj said.

He added that the Government would continue defending in Parliament the laws that are aligned with the opinion of the European Commission.

Mugoša: Without procedures we have anarchy

SD MP Boris Mugoša responded to Đeljošaj that procedure is the safeguard for everything and that the minister, as a former entrepreneur, should know that.

- Procedures protect against everything. If they do not exist, then we have anarchy, and that is something we should not allow - Mugoša said.