Montenegro's parliament has approved constitutional amendments that require candidates for prime minister and ministerial posts to undergo integrity checks for conflicts of interest before they are nominated, Balkan Insight reports.
The changes passed late on Monday with the support of the governing coalition, independent MPs and one opposition member. The main opposition Democratic Party of Socialists and the pro-Serb Democratic People's Party stayed away. The DPS argued that ordinary legislation, with checks before elections, would suffice.
Deputy Prime Minister Momo Koprivica said the principle was that people running the state should not also do business with it, though business owners could still serve if they gave up such dealings. The reform is seen as a key step under the rule-of-law chapter of Montenegro's EU accession talks, where 21 of 33 chapters are now provisionally closed.
Source: Balkan Insight
