Cabinet adopts Draft Law on Financing Political Parties and Election Campaigns

Podgorica, Montenegro (19 September 2014) – At today’s session, Montenegro’s Cabinet endorsed the Draft Law on Financing Political Parties and Election Campaigns, which will be submitted to the Working Group of the Parliament, as a basis for further work on the preparation and adoption of this law. Given the fact the Constitutional Court of Montenegro had decided that certain provisions of the Law Amending the Law on Financing Political Parties are not in accordance with the Constitution, and confirmed and published international agreements, and recognising the importance of the law and respect for recommendations of relevant international and national institutions in this area, the Government established a working group that drafted the Law on Financing Political Parties and Election Campaigns.

The law includes all current legislation governing the financing of political parties and campaign financing for the election of the President of Montenegro, and it will refer to political entities comprehensively, not only to political parties. In line with the recommendations of the GRECO, the new law prescribes for restrictions and prohibitions on the use of state resources for election campaigns, clearly establishes competences of the State Audit Institution and the National Electoral Commission in supervising the implementation of laws, defines investigative powers of the competent authorities, advances the sanctions system and includes all possible violations of the law.