Podgorica, (MINA) – The Government adopted on Thursday the Information regarding the submission of the draft amendment to the Article 86 of the Constitution to the European Commission and Venice Commissions for opinion, which specifies that the Prime Minister and members of the Government would not enjoy immunity for criminal offenses related to corruption.

According to the Government’s press release, this information was adopted in order to ensure compliance of the proposal with European standards and recommendations of the GRECO committee.

In the press release issued after the Government session, it is stated that, as part of the Fifth Evaluation Round, GRECO recommended revising the immunity of Government members so that all criminal offenses related to corruption are expressly excluded from its scope, regardless of the threatened penalty.

It is added that the current provisions of the Article 86 of the Constitution allows immunity in certain situations to constitute a procedural obstacle to the efficient conduct of criminal proceedings for offenses against official duty and high-level corruption, particularly when the threatened sentence does not exceed five years imprisonment.

It is emphasized that the proposed amendments represents a systemic step forward in strengthening the accountability of the highest executive officials and aligning the legal framework with international anti-corruption standards.

“At the same time, it contributes to fulfilling obligations under the European Union accession process, especially within the Chapter 23, Judiciary and fundamental rights, and sends a clear message of institutional commitment to the rule of law and the integrity of public office”, the press release states.