Podgorica, (MINA) – The Constitutional Committee has adopted the draft amendments to the Constitution of Montenegro concerning the Prosecutorial and Judicial Council and the Central Bank of Montenegro (CBCG) and recommended that Minister of Justice Bojan Bozovic requests an opinion from the Venice Commission on the proposed amendments.

 

Draft amendments 17 to 21 to the Constitution of Montenegro were adopted with eight votes in favor, with no votes against and no abstentions.

 

The Parliament is to vote on the draft amendment on Thursday, after which a public debate lasting at least one month will follow.

 

The Constitutional Committee, on the initiative of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) MP Andrija Nikolic, adopted the conclusion that the Minister of Justice, in coordination with the European Commission (EC), request an opinion from the Venice Commission on the draft amendments and inform the committee about it during the public debate.

 

The conclusion stipulates that, in case the Venice Commission does not submit the requested opinion by the end of the public debate, the Constitutional Committee and the Parliament would continue the procedure of amending the Constitution and that the absence of the opinion would not prevent the process from moving forward.

 

Constitutional Committee chair Jelena Bozovic explained that the 30-day period for public debate would begin once the parliament adopts the draft amendments.

 

“After the public debate, the Constitutional Committee will determine the final proposal for constitutional amendments, while the last step would be for the Parliament to adopt those amendments”, said Bozovic.

 

She explained that amendment 17 stipulates that the Parliament, in the first round of the vote by a two-thirds majority, and a three-fifths majority in the second round, elects and dismisses the Constitutional Court judges, the Supreme State Prosecutor, four members of the Judicial Council from among distinguished lawyers as well four members of the Prosecutorial Council.

 

Bozovic said that amendment 18 refers to the composition of the Judicial Council.

 

“The Judicial Council consists of a president and nine members. Its members are the president of the Supreme Court, five judges elected and dismissed by the conference of judges, taking into account the equal representation of courts and judges, four distinguished lawyers elected and dismissed by the Parliament”, said Bozovic.

 

Speaking about amendment 20, which regulates the composition, election and mandate of the Prosecutorial Council, Bozovic said that according to it, this body has a president and ten members.

 

Amendment 21 concerns the Central Bank of Montenegro and provides that it is an autonomous and independent organization that reports on its work to the Parliament.