The reform of the electoral system in Montenegro is essential, regardless of what any political party or coalition thinks about it. The European Union sees it as one of the priorities, and the initiative for changes to local electoral system has arrived at the right moment — now is the time to act.

This was the message conveyed at the opening of the conference “More Elections for Citizens, More Accountability for Government”, organised by the Ministry of Public Administration (MPA) and the Centre for Democratic Transition (CDT).

The Ambassador of the European Union to Montenegro, Johann Sattler, emphasised that electoral reform remains one of Montenegro’s key priorities.

Copyright: EUD

“Electoral reform remains one of the leading priorities. We now have a favourable moment to take decisive action,” said Sattler. He added that consultations will begin this week. According to Sattler, the EU is ready to assist, as this process requires the involvement of many actors and cooperation.

"I would like to thank the Committee for Electoral Reform members who are present here and have shown interest because, without them, meaningful progress cannot be achieved. We can only move forward if there is genuine political will," Sattler emphasised.

He stated that the current system creates instability.

"A system like this, in its current form, does not contribute to stability. Nowhere else have I seen local elections being held every few months — this is something that clearly needs to change," Sattler noted.

The Ambassador of the EU to Montenegro also said that motivation should be found in the Growth Plan and the EU funds allocated for the Western Balkans.

“The more you do, the more you will receive. The Growth Plan allows you to measure your progress, particularly because there is a benchmark specifically related to the electoral process. Therefore, the Growth Plan offers an additional incentive, as politicians will need to explain why certain reforms were not implemented and why, for example, they missed out on € 4 million,” Sattler warned.

Sattler called on the Committee for Comprehensive Electoral Reform to return to work, stating that plans are in place.

“We’ve seen what this system brings. We’ve seen constant campaigning, electoral tourism, blockades in certain municipalities… That is another element that needs to be addressed through reforms. The third element is the professionalisation of the electoral administration. There must be some transfer of responsibility and work from the local to the national level. Authorities in Kotor or elsewhere cannot hijack the process,” Sattler concluded.

Milica Kovačević, CDT’s Programme Director, said that the reform of electoral legislation has been tragically stalled due to the inactivity of the Committee for Comprehensive Electoral Reform, obstruction, excuse-making, and what could be described as a lack of political will. “If the parties truly wanted change, we would have had results in a year and five months. The most important laws haven’t even been opened for debate,” Kovačević said.

The Minister of Public Administration, Mr Marash Dukaj, stressed that Montenegro needs substantial, not merely declarative, changes and reforms in many areas. “Perhaps they are most needed in electoral processes. This is the area where democracy is either confirmed or vanishes. At the level of local governance, as things currently stand, they are diminishing and disappearing — we want to stop that,” said the Minister.

Copyright: EUD

He emphasised that the current electoral system for local self-governments is affecting all municipalities.

“The concept of the proposed law is not merely a legal norm; it represents a precondition for their development. No interested party, nor the Government alone, can implement such projects in isolation, which is why I appeal for consensus. The Ministry intends to design and implement electoral reform regardless of political interests. European obligations cannot be fulfilled without effective elections,” the Minister concluded.