On the occasion of the first 100 days of the 44th Government of Montenegro, led by Milojko Spajić, it can be said that it has achieved success through carefully calculated steps involving nearly all parliamentary entities, with a clear focus on meeting the expected results ahead of the Intergovernmental Conference in Brussels—particularly in the area of reforms that had long lacked political will.
In the context of the latest European Commission report, the most progress has been made in unblocking the political system and establishing effective political dialogue and constructive engagement among political parties with the aim of judicial appointments.
Namely, although this was the responsibility of the Parliament of Montenegro, key appointments in the judiciary were finally resolved thanks to the Prime Minister’s negotiations with representatives of the parliamentary majority, as well as the opposition—especially in the case of the Supreme State Prosecutor, whose appointment was supported by 61 MPs. In doing so, the government fulfilled the basic requirements necessary to continue Montenegro’s EU path. There was also a demonstrated political will to work on comprehensive electoral reform. Additionally, the Prime Minister successfully negotiated the organization and execution of the population census, managing to secure full consensus from all relevant stakeholders at the last moment.
On the other hand, there are several pressing concerns. In terms of public administration reform, the actions taken so far suggest that the new government is addressing this issue only on a declarative level, with no substantial expectations that it will be a real priority in the near future. The security sector is particularly alarming, as it has become increasingly evident that it represents a dividing line between the Democrats and PES, the main constituents of the new government. For some time now, we have been witnessing conflicting statements and positions between the two parties. The key question is how long this discord will last and how it will be resolved.
Moreover, this issue and certain actions are not just a matter of dispute between the two parties but also a point of contention between the Minister of Justice and the Prime Minister—two high-ranking officials of the same party, at least on the surface. It is also important to note that this period was marked by hasty steps such as the proposal of the Electronic Communications Law, which does not align with European Commission recommendations, and the rushed appointment of Montenegro’s new representative before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, without waiting for a Constitutional Court ruling.
Lastly, one of the most negative aspects of the government’s work during its first 100 days is its failure to reach a compromise with representatives of nearly all major trade unions in the country, which will likely result in imminent strikes by workers in education, healthcare, public administration, and the judiciary.
