October 2006 New Challenges for a New Mandate - Analysis and Recommendations for a Strategy to Develop a Key Pillar of Montenegro’s Democracy: the Parliament of the Republic of Montenegro, in English or in local language.
In a long awaited referendum held in May 2006, Montenegro voters opted for independence over continued union with Serbia, settling the small republic’s foremost political issue. After declaring independence in early June, Montenegro quickly established itself as a new country, gaining a seat at the United Nations before the month was over. Montenegro’s successful and peaceful quest for independence begins the final chapter in the lengthy and often bloody disintegration of the former Yugoslavia.
The 2002 Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro included a caveat that either republic could separate from the union after three years. The Montenegrin government supported independence but public opinion was divided. When the government announced in late 2005 plans to hold an independence referendum, the pro-union opposition balked, suggesting that the government would undermine a clean vote. The European Union negotiated a solution requiring a supermajority of 55 percent for passage, in part to prevent an opposition boycott. Despite the high political stakes, the referendum proceeded with few irregularities according to domestic and international observers. An impressive 86 percent of the electorate participated. The pro-independence bloc carried the day, gaining 55.5 percent of the votes, surpassing the EU mandated threshold by fewer than 2,100 votes.
Volunteers at Montenegro's leading election monitoring group, the Center for Democratic Transition, tally polling station reports during 2006 parliamentary and local elections. Assisted by NDI, CDT also monitored Montenegro's historic independence referendum in May 2006.
Following independence, the incumbent government, led by the Democratic Party of Socialists, secured a decisive victory in September parliamentary elections, winning an absolute majority. The government’s top priorities are enacting the reforms necessary for further European integration, drafting a new constitution and spurring economic development and foreign investment. For its part, the opposition needs to reorganize in order to provide essential government oversight and to offer concrete policy alternatives. Strengthening the Montenegrin parliament and increasing the political parties’ responsiveness to citizen concerns are vital to making Europe’s newest country a democratic success.
NDI in Montenegro
To support Montenegro’s transition from a republic in federation with Serbia to a fully democratic, independent state, NDI conducts two programs focusing on strengthening of the legislature and policy development for political parties. With funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), NDI seeks to help parliament improve its lawmaking and oversight capacities and provides support to a local non-governmental organization for election monitoring initiatives. As part of a program funded by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), NDI conducts public opinion research and works with political party leaders on policy development and improving responsiveness to voter concerns.
Election Monitoring
The Institute’s election partner, the Center for Democratic Transition (CDT), proved a critical nonpartisan voice during the referendum period, monitoring the campaign and fielding trained observers on referendum day. The organization conducted a parallel vote tabulation using returns from a statistically determined sample of polling stations and reported on voter turnout throughout the day. Using an innovative text message-based system developed by NDI, CDT compiled and reported accurate, real-time data to the public. Similarly, CDT monitored voter turnout and projected outcomes for key races during the September 2006 parliamentary and municipal elections.
Legislative Strengthening
Montenegro’s parliament is weak compared to the executive and judicial branches and is in need of institutional strengthening to fulfill its legislative, representative, and oversight duties. NDI is helping parliament become more effective through its legislative strengthening program. The Institute played a major role in parliament’s recent approval of new rules of procedure and a reformed administrative structure. Many of NDI’s suggestions were incorporated into the new rules of procedure, which should augur more substantive parliamentary debate. NDI offered significant assistance to the secretary-general of parliament in reorganizing the legislature’s administrative structure. The new structure establishes four new departments and 35 new staff positions.
“[NDI] helped us to base the drafting process on experiences of parliaments of EU member states regarding parliament’s organization and functioning.”
—Rifat Rastoder, Coordinator of parliament’s Working Group on the Rules of Procedure, during plenary debate leading to parliament’s approval of the new Rules.
In July 2006, NDI conducted a parliamentary needs assessment and presented to parliamentary leadership a detailed analysis that highlighted the institution’s strengths and weaknesses and offered recommended improvements in such areas as lawmaking, oversight of the executive branch, public outreach, capital infrastructure, and human resources. The assessment drew in particular on the successful, post-independence development of Slovenia’s parliament. In 2007 and 2008, the Institute will provide assistance to the parliament as it addresses these issues.
Political Party Development
Through a program funded by the NED, NDI supports partner political parties in the development of post-referendum communication strategies and policies that incorporate voter priority issues and concerns. In particular, the Institute is conducting public opinion research and will work with partner parties as they analyze the findings and tailor their responses.
Through its Political Skills Development School, the Institute is assisting 30 mid-level political leaders to develop and practice political organizing skills and to gain a greater understanding of the principles of reform. The school offers a comprehensive curriculum of political skills training and outreach activities. Participants applied these skills to their parties’ respective campaigns during the 2006 referendum and elections cycles, particularly in the area of door-to-door campaigning and strategic planning.
Contact Information
NDI also conducts programs in Albania, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Romania, and Serbia. For more information on NDI's Montenegro program, please contact:
Nate Evans in Washington, D.C. at 202-728-5676
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Lisa McLean in Podgorica at 381-81-655-411
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