The 65th Cabinet session – 8 April

The Montenegrin Cabinet held its 65th session on 8 April, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Dritan Abazović.

In the process of confirmation of the Minutes from the 64th session, it was concluded that the Cabinet adopted the Decision on establishing the Coordination Body for monitoring the introduction and implementation of international measures regarding the crisis in Ukraine. The decision stipulates that the task of the Coordination Body is to monitor the introduction and implementation of international measures of the Council of the European Union and other international organisations of which Montenegro is a member or whose statements it joins, in accordance with foreign policy priorities regarding the war in Ukraine.

In order for Montenegro, as a candidate country for EU membership, to fully comply with the common foreign and security policy and join the decisions of the EU Council, the Cabinet adopted:

• Decision on the introduction of the Council of the European Union Decision 2022/266 /CFSP of 23 February 2022 concerning restrictive measures in response to the recognition of the non-government controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine and the ordering of Russian armed forces into those areas.
• Decision amending Decision of the Council of the European Union concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.
• Decision amending Decision of the Council of the European Union the concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine.

It was emphasised that the Council of the EU periodically reviews decisions related to the introduction of restrictive measures, especially in terms of implementation time frame, as well as persons and entities covered by them, so the adoption of these regulations is necessary for Montenegro to join the measures of the Council of the EU and incorporate them into the national legal system.

The Cabinet adopted the Draft Law on Amendments to the Law on Olive Growing and Olive Oil.

The Cabinet adopted the Sixteenth semi-annual report on the overall activities within the process of Montenegro’s integration in the European Union for the period July-December 2021, as well as the Thirty-Second quarterly report on overall activities within the process of Montenegro’s integration in the European Union for October-December 2021.

The 2021 Report on the Implementation of the Strategy on Migration and Reintegration of Returnees in Montenegro for the period 2021-2025 was adopted. Out of a total of 100 activities envisaged in the two-year Action Plan, in 2021, 46 activities were implemented, i.e. 46%. The comments of the European Commission in the Report on Montenegro for last year were adopted, so the decisions on applications for international protection are made within less than 6 months, except in complex cases that require more time.

The Information on assistance to commercial TV broadcasters with national coverage was adopted. Considering the difficult situation and the issue of media sustainability, which are further weakened by the COVID-19 pandemic, and a letter sent by the three largest broadcasters - TV Vijesti, TV NovaM and TV Prva, the Cabinet has decided to take over the obligations of these broadcasters towards the Broadcasting Center for 2022, in the amount of 200,000 euros. It was assessed that this decision is in the public interest, because otherwise the business of three commercial televisions with national frequency would be endangered, which employ about 200 workers and pay gross salaries amounting to about 2.5 million euros annually.