State officials shall not represent their party during working hours

Proposal for the Law on the Assignment of Political subjects during election campaigns  stipulates that public officials appointed by the Government or elected by local administration, state officials and employees shall not take part in election campaign or express their views on elections publicly during their working hours .

This law proposal strictly defined the term of election campaign.

“Election campaign is a 30-day period prior to election when political subject present their program and candidates to voters and public. Election campaign officially starts on the 30^th day before election”, reads the Proposal.

Restrictions on election campaign also refer to the Prime Minister and other ministers.

“During election campaign, state and local administration officials may act as representatives of their rolls and promote election programs and rolls in their media presentations in the manner prescribed by law. However, the law prohibits that officials abuse electoral rolls or use them for advertising rolls or election program”, points out Proposal for the law.

Police officers and members of the National Security Agency shall not take part in election campaigns.

Proposal for the Law also defines the manner of the application of this law.

“By means of special decision, Parliament will organized Committee on monitoring application of this law. It will consist of 10 members: two MPs of parliamentary majority and parliamentary opposition, two members of academic community, two members of NGOs dealing with issues of protection of human rights and two representatives of media community. Proposal for the appointment of president, deputy president and Committee members is submitted to the Parliament by a working body in charge of election and appointment.

Everybody’s obliged to obey the Constitution

The Law prescribes that all participants in the election campaign shall be obliged to obey the Constitution of Montenegro, law and codes of professional ethics and adhere to fair behavior which excludes insults and defamation and violation of decency rules.

“Submittees of electoral rolls and candidates are entitled to organize conferences and other public assemblies during election propaganda, under equal conditions, in compliance with public law and order regulations”, reads the document.