The new measures, which have been submitted to the Parliament for urgent adoption, also foresee high fines for violating legal provisions.
One of the most significant changes in the legal text concerns the expansion of the obligation to report income and assets. According to the new solution, public officials will have to submit data to the Anti-Corruption Agency (AKS) not only for married and unmarried partners, but also for children living in the same household.
Also, special focus is placed on the control of persons who decide on large state funds. The obligation to submit asset reports is introduced for members of committees in public procurement, privatization and concession procedures whose value exceeds 250,000 euros. Until now, these persons did not have this obligation, and the Government justifies this decision by the fact that these areas carry a "high risk of corruption".
The explanatory memorandum to the law signed by Prime Minister Milojko Spajić states: "The aim of the legal amendments is to improve the anti-corruption framework, the integrity framework and the rules on conflict of interest in public procurement. The proposed measures enable a fundamental revision of existing regulations in order to ensure effective prevention of corruption and increase public trust," it states.
The amendments also introduce stricter penalties. Individuals who fail to submit reports within the stipulated deadlines or submit inaccurate or incomplete data will be subject to fines ranging from 500 to 2,000 euros. The same amount of fine is also provided for those who harm a whistleblower or fail to protect data from a corruption report.
The government emphasizes that these changes will contribute to better supervision.
"The introduction of sanctions for untimely submission of reports, as well as for submitting incorrect information, ensures consistent application of the law and strengthens the responsibility of all participants in the procedure," it states.
The Anti-Corruption Agency gave a positive opinion on the proposed amendments, assessing that they enable “the establishment of a solid and efficient system that reduces the risk of corruption.” On the other hand, the Ministry of Finance, in its opinion, pointed out the need for additional harmonization of reporting deadlines in order to avoid different interpretations and legal uncertainty among taxpayers.
The proposed amendments, as stated in the documentation, are fully aligned with the Reform Agenda of Montenegro for the period 2024–2027 and the requirements of the European Union, and their implementation will not require additional funds from the state budget. The new law enters into force on the day following its publication in the Official Gazette.
