Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is their response to the Council of Europe report on the observation of the 2023 presidential election in Montenegro.

The UK welcomes the Council of Europe's (CoE) Report on the Presidential elections in Montenegro. Election monitoring is a vital tool for promoting and encouraging democracy. The UK contributed to the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) observer mission to Montenegro's Presidential elections. We also supported a local Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) which reported irregularities and broadcast an early results forecast, contributing to the integrity of the election. We will provide ongoing support for electoral reform analysis. The UK will continue to encourage Montenegro to strengthen electoral practices in line with ODIHR and CoE recommendations.