UNDP and Justice Ministry set to open Montenegro’s first free legal assistance office

Podgorica, Montenegro (2 November 2011) – United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Justice Ministry’s cooperation has been considerable in all project areas and will continue accordingly in the coming period, concluded Justice Minister Duško Marković and UNDP Resident Representative Rastislav Vrbesnky at their meeting earlier today. The two officials also announced the opening of the first free legal assistance office in Podgorica in late November.

Minister Marković underlined the importance of the UN System in Montenegro for the promotion of universal values and presented Mr Vrbensky with the Government’s key activities and achievements in the judicial reform and the fight against organised crime and corruption. He thanked the UNDP for their indispensable contribution to capacity building in Montenegro in this area.

Mr Vrbensky reiterated UNDP’s readiness to continue with the ongoing projects of reforming the free legal assistance system, strengthening the alternative sanction system and the anti-corruption capacity in Montenegro, as well as the drafting of the new Strategy on Judicial Reform and the Action Plan for its implementation for the period 2013-2018.

The UNDP Resident Representative welcomed the European Commission’s recommendation for the opening of accession negotiations with Montenegro and underlined that this has been a result of the progress Montenegro has achieved, especially in the area of rule of law and fight against organised crime and corruption.