Freedom for Montenegro: A hybrid regime is being assembled.

May 6, 2020 - Montenegro and Serbia are not democracies for the first time since 2003, Voice of America reports, citing the report "Transition Report" by the non-governmental organization Freedom House. The document examines and describes the governance of 29 countries of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. The 2020 report categorizes Montenegro and Serbia as transitional governments or hybrid regimes in which power is based on authoritarianism as a result of incomplete democratic transformation. Such a government in one state can simultaneously carry out political repression and hold elections.

"Albania, Serbia and Montenegro are experiencing the greatest decline among all Balkan countries, while Serbia and Montenegro are retreating in the fight against corruption. There is no effective response to instances of corruption in high places, and there are instances of broken institutions and a reluctance to act effectively against corruption," Michael Smeltzer of Freedom House told Voice of America.

The report covers 29 countries in Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and former communist bloc countries, classifying them into five categories: entrenched democracies, semi-entrenched democracies, transitional or hybrid regimes, semi-entrenched authoritarian regimes, and entrenched authoritarian regimes.

Speaking about Montenegro, Freedom House researcher Michael Smeltzer tells Voice of America that the problems are most visible in the judicial system.

"Negative trends and shortcomings in independent work in this area have been noted. In this regard, the researchers noted worrying cases of scandals in the judiciary and the prosecutor's office.

The report also analyzes the problems of practice of the Parliament of Montenegro.

"In 2016, opposition members refused to participate in the Assembly because the 10th-ranking Democratic Party of Socialists (PDS), which held power, had taken a stand after elections they called unfair. The DSS-controlled Assembly is slowing electoral reforms, making it difficult for opposition lawmakers to participate. The DSS-controlled parliament has been slow to implement electoral reforms, although it has also been prevented from collecting quorums during the boycott. However, there were no major problems in securing votes to pass the controversial Law on Religious Freedom," the report on Montenegro said.

Michael Smeltzer, a Washington-based Freedom House expert, emphasizes that many Central and Eastern European leaders no longer pretend to dream of democracy and the rule of law.

"Coming to unpleasant conclusions is very discouraging. We have found that leaders and politicians in this region are no longer hiding behind a democratic facade. Their masks have fallen, and they no longer pretend to respect nominal values and openly attack democratic institutions," Smeltzer emphasizes.