The European Commission said on Friday that recent political developments in Montenegro have provoked a deep institutional crisis, undermined the functionality of the country's democratic institutions, and contributed to a slowdown of its accession negotiations.

“The latest amendments to the law on the prerogatives of the President contradict the opinion of the Venice Commission. The repeated failure to appoint members of the Constitutional Court illustrates the inability to build consensus on reforms,” a statement said and called all political players to support the stability and functionality of democratic institutions, in particular the Constitutional Court, exercise restraint, and avoid further incidents.

The statement said that the European Union’s concerns have been passed on to the Montenegrin authorities and warned that the ensuing political situation resulting from latest actions might put into question the stability of institutions.