Montenegro’s Parliament is starting to look more like a club with no real decisions committees aren’t working, Prime Minister’s Q&A sessions barely happen, and oversight hearings are rare.
Former MP Branka Bošnjak says these sessions have become a rare event squeezed in between the PM’s travels, and even when they do happen, it might’ve been better if they didn’t. She and other experts told Vijesti that this all shows the government is avoiding accountability and basically shutting down Parliament’s oversight role.
Recently, the Anti-Corruption Committee couldn’t discuss a deal with the UAE because no ruling party MP showed up. PES, the biggest party in power, said they refuse to “legitimize the discrediting” of key investments. Other MPs said they missed the session due to personal reasons or didn’t respond at all. And this isn’t new similar no-shows have happened before.
Nikola Mirković from CGO says the Parliament’s rulebook is just a technical document, and that what’s really needed is a proper Law on Parliament. Right now, rules are often ignored, and MPs show up only when it suits them. There were supposed to be three PM Q&A sessions this year only one happened, and it wasn’t even meaningful.
Bošnjak adds that Parliament feels “privatized and closed off,” with everyone pulling in different directions. The only thing holding the ruling coalition together seems to be fear of losing their seats.
She also points out that while the government talks a lot about wanting to join the EU, their actions say otherwise. Mirković agrees, saying PES often uses excuses to avoid criticism and hide their own failures turning the Parliament into one of the least transparent in years.
He says skipping committee work just because it doesn’t serve party interests is irresponsible, especially when MPs were elected to serve the people.
One example: at a meeting on reforms and deals with the UAE, only one MP from the ruling parties showed up, read a poorly-prepared speech, and left before taking any questions. That’s not how Parliament is supposed to work.
Bošnjak also reminds us that Speaker Andrija Mandić once shut down a session before MPs could even ask their questions and somehow, that passed with barely a reaction.
In short, Parliament is in a rough spot missing debates, avoiding responsibility, and falling short on transparency. And for a country that wants to be the EU’s next member… this isn’t a great look.
Written by our correspondent A.A.
