Press release: Prime Minister Zeljko Sturanovic meets Venice Commission members - Kaarlo Tuori, Guido Neppi and Anthony Bradley

Prime Minister Zeljko Sturanovic met in Podgorica today with the Venice Commission members Kaarlo Tuori, Guido Neppi and Anthony Bradley, who are taking part in a two-day Round Table on Constitutional Reform in Montenegro.

The members of the Venice Commission informed the Prime Minister of their attendance at the said event, and of their impressions and plans with regard to the drafting of the new Constitution of Montenegro. Having expressed readiness to use their experience to help the process of adopting the Constitution, they noted that the atmosphere at the meeting was very constructive, the prevalent approach being the rational rather than the emotional one. In this context, they said that the focus was placed on three fundamental topics the exercise of human rights and freedoms, protection of minority rights and formation of an independent judiciary.

The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction that the meeting had taken place and that European experts had been engaged on such an important issue for Montenegro.

Having informed his guests with the Governments and other institutions activities focused on constitutional reform, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that cooperation with the Venice Commission would result in the adoption of a new constitution in the shortest possible time, in compliance with Europes high standards. He underlined the commitment to produce the text of the new Constitution with the widest possible social consensus and use every opportunity for harmonization in the Parliament.

The members of the Venice Commission welcomed the efforts to reach the widest possible parliamentary and civic consensus in the process of adopting the Constitution. It was agreed that the text of the new Constitution should include basic provisions on fundamental issues and that details on more particular issues should be contained in relevant laws and subordinate regulations.

The Prime Minister, also, informed his guests of the Governments efforts in bringing the domestic legislation into conformity with European standards, above all, in the field of state administration, judiciary, local government and media freedom, aimed at quickening the pace of Montenegros European and Euro-Atlantic integration.