Montenegro Opposition Party Boycotts Parliament

The threat of a boycott was unleashed after the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists, DPS, on Tuesday voted against six EU-backed election laws aimed at curbing abuses in the electoral process.

The laws mainly address suspected irregularities in voter lists and abuses in the use of budgetary funds for party purposes during elections.

Four of the six laws have been adopted however as the minor ruling Social Democratic Party has allied with the opposition on the issue but the laws on the election of deputies and on Montenegrin citizenship did not get the required two-thirds majority.

The Democratic Front accused the DPS of deepening distrust in the electoral process in Montenegro.

"The ruling party has made itself directly responsible for the continued parliamentary and total political crisis in Montenegro," the party said, urging other opposition parties to join a total boycott of the parliament.

On Wednesday, representatives of the European Commission urged the Montenegrin parties to reach agreement on the election laws.

'The European Commission recommends to decision-makers to continue to work together on the set of election laws with the aim of building public confidence in the electoral process and democratic institutions", Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule's spokeman, Peter Stano, said on Wednesday.