The Centre for Civic Education (CCE) analysed the activity of MPs in the 28th convocation of the Parliament of Montenegro in the plenary, from 27 July 2023 to 31 March 2026, based on data obtained through requests for free access to information.
The findings reveal marked differences in the activities of individual MPs and parliamentary groups, with opposition MPs being the most active in plenary debates. This points to their stronger reliance on the plenary as a space for political engagement, oversight of the executive, public articulation of positions, and raising issues of importance to citizens.
By far the most active MP was Andrija Nikolić of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), who spoke in the plenary for almost 30 hours, 24 minutes and 5 seconds. He is followed by Boris Mugoša of the European Alliance, with 24 hours, 20 minutes and 24 seconds, while the additional five most active MPs include three more DPS representatives – Mihailo Anđušić with 18 hours, 4 minutes and 3 seconds, Aleksandra Vuković Kuč with 16 hours, 25 minutes and 30 seconds, and Aleksandra Despotović with 15 hours, 35 minutes and 26 seconds – as well as Milan Knežević of the Democratic People’s Party (DNP), with 14 hours, 39 minutes and 24 seconds, and Vasilije Čarapić of the Europe Now Movement (PES), with 14 hours, 31 minutes and 43 seconds.
On the other hand, among MPs with the lowest participation in plenary debates, Gordan Stojović of PES once again stands out, having spoken for only 15 minutes and 14 seconds over nearly three years. He is followed by Milena Vuković of GP URA, with just over 16 minutes and 20 seconds (noting that she assumed her parliamentary mandate less than a year ago), then Vladimir Bakrač of PES with 34 minutes and 26 seconds, Jelena Kljajević of DNP with 47 minutes and 50 seconds, Artan Čobi of the Albanian Forum with 50 minutes and 45 seconds, and Vladimir Dobričanin of United Montenegro with 56 minutes and 38 seconds of plenary speaking time.
Although the length of interventions is not the sole measure of the quality of parliamentary work, these figures represent an important indicator of MPs’ visibility and activity in one of Parliament’s key functions – public debate. The plenary is precisely the forum where laws are debated, questions are posed to the executive, political positions articulated, and parliamentary oversight of the Government exercised. Therefore, minimal or almost symbolic participation in debates raises questions about attitudes towards the parliamentary mandate and public accountability, particularly given that citizens do not elect and pay MPs to remain silent observers of political processes.
Regarding the overall activity of parliamentary groups, the DPS parliamentary group leads, with its MPs speaking in the plenary for a total of 201 hours and 29 minutes. In second place is the PES parliamentary group, with a total of 80 hours and 30 minutes spent in plenary debates. Such a substantial gap between the two most active groups, at the same time the two strongest political actors in Parliament – also indicates differing approaches to using the plenary as a space for political communication and institutional oversight. The parliamentary group of the Bosniak Party recorded a total of 33 hours, 39 minutes and 57 seconds of speaking time, while the European Alliance spoke for 33 hours, 1 minute and 42 seconds. The parliamentary group ZBCG – Democratic People’s Party recorded 27 hours, 4 minutes and 25 seconds of interventions.
In third place is the Democrats parliamentary group, with a total of 64 hours, 24 minutes and 54 seconds of speaking time, while the GP URA parliamentary group recorded 41 hours, 18 minutes and 53 seconds. They are followed by the ZBCG – New Serbian Democracy parliamentary group, whose MPs spoke for 39 hours, 22 minutes and 3 seconds.
The Bosniak Party parliamentary group recorded a total of 33 hours, 39 minutes and 57 seconds of speaking time, while the European Alliance spoke for 33 hours, 1 minute and 42 seconds. The ZBCG – DNP parliamentary group recorded 27 hours, 4 minutes and 25 seconds of interventions.
Less time in the plenary was recorded by the Special Parliamentary Group, with a total of 13 hours, 59 minutes and 45 seconds, and the SNP-CIVIS parliamentary group, with 11 hours, 45 minutes and 20 seconds. In addition, the parliamentary group of the Democratic Union of Albanians and the Croatian Civic Initiative used 6 hours, 11 minutes and 29 seconds, while the Albanian Forum – Forumi Shqiptar recorded 3 hours, 57 minutes and 24 seconds of plenary interventions.
The CCE analysis underscores the need for parliamentary activity of MPs and parliamentary groups to be systematically monitored and regularly made public, so that citizens can gain a clearer insight into how their elected representatives use the mandate entrusted to them. Transparency of such data can contribute to greater accountability of MPs, strengthening trust in institutions, and a better understanding of the actual contribution of each parliamentary group and individual to the work of Parliament.
Nikola Đurašević, Programme Associate