Government of Montenegro has referred the Proposal for the Law on Selection, Use and Public Display of National Symbols to the parliamentary procedure whereas Ministry of Interior will be in charge of examining amendments to the enactment on public law and order.
Amendments to these laws are related to the proposal made by the Vice-President of the Parliament, Mr Genci Nimanbegu, stating that legal provision stipulating that every citizen who displays or uses national symbol in public shall be fined or imprisoned, should be abolished.
He requested that paragraph 4 in the Article 23 should be deleted. Government stated that this amendment would enable physical persons to display or use flag, coat of arms and other national symbols in public places without being sanctioned.
“Given the fact that Montenegro has been recognized as multi-ethnic and multi-cultural country, where all citizens are equal and free, regardless of their religious, national or political aspirations, and considering the fact that flags of other countries are displayed during and off season, we believe that proposed amendments will avoid discrimination of physical persons who publicly display flag, coat of arms or some other national symbol”, reads the opinion published earlier.
The document stated that the Government supported the proposal for the law submitted to the Parliament by Mr Nimanbegu.
By virtue of the amendments to the law, article stipulating that legal entity displaying and publishing inappropriate or deceiving contents that cause citizens’ frustration or uneasiness shall be fined €2.500 to €15.000.
Entrepreneur will be hit with €500 to €5.000 fine, responsible person in legal entity shall be fined from €300 to €2.000, whereas physical person shall receive a fine of €300 to €1.000 or prison sentence.
Governing coalition fails to pledge support
Amendments to the law on public order weren’t accepted in the Parliament last year. After the consultation, the law was scrapped completely as member of governing coalition, Mr Andrija Popović, opposed it.
He said that national symbols of Montenegro should be respected. He said he disagreed with the solution that national symbols of other countries should be displayed freely.
