Djukanovic signs Law for President, but will not implement

MPs from the pro-Russian party Front, Democrats, Movement The prime minister's URA in the technical government, Dritan Abazovic, had earlier adopted changes to the Law for President.

Djukanovic announced on December 16th that signing the decree for the Law for President was a constitutional obligation, but the obligation is not to implement it.

The responsibility for implementing this unconstitutional law falls on those who have adopted it. I have no intention of participating in this”, Djukanovic said, clarifying that he does not want to participate in law enforcement because he considers it unconstitutional.

Under the decreed law, Djukanovic must hold consultations with parties and mandate a parliamentary majority candidate to form the new Government.

If he refuses to mandate the candidate for prime minister, under the new law, the parliamentary majority will assume its constitutional powers in terms of nomining for the government's mandate.

Earlier, even Djukanovic and his party, the Democratic Socialist Party, have rejected this law, naming it a “constitutional coup”.

The Venice Commission's recommendation ʹthe advisory body of the Council of Europe said the law should not be adopted because “changes the constitution provisions”. The European Union has called on the parliamentary majority to accept the Commission's opinion and withdraw from the controversial changes in this law.

The amendments to the law were proposed by the pro-rus Democratic Front, in order to grant their candidate mandate, Miograd Llekq, to form Montenegro's new government.

What preceded changes in the Law to the President?

Following the vote of no-confidence motion on the government of Dritan Abazovic on August 20th, the parliamentary majority urged Djukanovic to mandate Miograd Lleqi as the candidate to form the new Government. But, President Djukanovic refused because the parliamentary majority had not submitted the list of deputies' signatures to support that candidacy by the appointed time.

The parliamentary majority believes Djukanovic, with this move, has violated the Constitution.

The Constitutional Court, the only institution that can consider the constitutionality of Djukanovic's decisions, does not have enough quorum to make decisions since September, because there are only three judges out of seven as far as they should be.

Later, the parliamentary majority adopted amendments to the Law for President, which assumes the president's power to nominated the candidate for prime minister.

With the signing of the Law for President, predictions are that conditions will be set to emerge from the political crisis, caused by Djukanovic's decision not to give the mandate for forming the party government that won the 2020 elections, the Democratic Front said.

The winners of elections held in August 2020, the Democratic Front, Democrats and URA believe they have a stable parliamentary majority and want Llekic to form the new Government by the 2024 elections.

The opposition, led by Djukanovic's party, calls for holding extraordinary parliamentary elections.