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- The recent political developments in Montenegro have provoked a deep institutional crisis, undermined the functionality of the country's democratic institutions, and contributed to a slowdown of its accession negotiations.
- The adoption of the amendments to the law on the prerogatives of the President, in contradiction to the opinion of the Venice Commission according to which a constitutional revision, not an ordinary law, should be used to change the system of checks and balances foreseen by the Constitution, further contributed to this crisis.
- The European Union appreciates the readiness of the Council of Europe to continue to support Montenegro on the road to reform, including in the process of accession to the EU. For Montenegro, to progress on its European path, which is the wish of an overwhelming majority of Montenegro’s citizens, all political actors must support the stability and functionality of democratic institutions, in particular of the Constitutional Court. As noted by the Venice Commission, the current political crisis could be solved by adherence to the principle of loyal cooperation between State organs.
- These concerns by the European Union have also been expressed to the authorities of Montenegro through established diplomatic channels. Moreover, on 21 December, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Austria and Slovenia travelled to Montenegro on behalf of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to convey the urgency of re-establishing the stability and functionality of the democratic institutions.
