30. 07. 2002

MONTENEGRIN PARLIAMENT AGAIN PASSES ELECTION LEGISLATION

PODGORICA, July 30, 2002 - Montenegro's parliamentary majority has again adopted amendments to media and election legislation returned for reconsideration by President Milo Djukanovic. The opposition-led majority says it expects the president to sign the amendments this time. The amendments have been adopted unchanged. MPs from Djukanovic's Democratic Party of Socialists, the Social Democratic Party and Albanian parties did not attend the session, saying they refused to support the tyranny of the majority or to be involved in legislation which flies in the face of EU recommendations. Returning the legislation for reconsideration, Djukanovic told the Parliament that they violated the democratic values of the Montenegrin state. The Liberal Alliance, which drafted the legislation, argued that there was no ground for accepting Djukanovic's argument. The Together for Yugoslavia bloc and the Liberals said today that they now expected the president to proclaim the laws so that they could be in force for this year's elections. The Parliament also adopted a resolution on transforming Montenegro's state media network into a public information service.