Montenegro announces third public call for CIK members, Judicial Council call issued

The Commission for conducting the election of the President and members of the Central Election Commission (CIK) will announce a third public call on March 16th after the previous two were unsuccessful. Separately, the Committee for Political System, Judiciary, and Administration of the Parliament of Montenegro announced a public call for four members of the Judicial Council from among reputable lawyers.

Key points

• The third public call for the CIK President and four members is scheduled for March 16th.
• The previous two public calls for CIK selection were unsuccessful.
• The second CIK call received 10 candidates, with eight meeting the legal requirements, but the procedure stalled due to the lack of a proposal for the CIK President.
• The Judicial Council mandate expires on July 12, 2026.
• Candidates for the Judicial Council must be at least 40 years old with 15 years of legal experience.
• The call for Judicial Council members aims to avoid a vacuum in the judiciary ahead of expected closure of rule of law negotiation chapters.

Why it matters

These processes are crucial for the functioning of Montenegro's electoral body (CIK) and judicial governance (Judicial Council), especially in a year where closing rule of law negotiation chapters is anticipated.