Montenegro learns best international practices in combating organised crime and corruption

Budva, Montenegro (30 March 2012) – The three-day conference entitled “Models of Legislation for Combating Organised Crime,” which brought US, Italian, Croatian and Montenegrin experts to exchange experiences and discuss ways to improve Montenegrin legislation in combating this challenge, concluded today late afternoon.

The conference resulted in a set of recommendations in terms of police and prosecution office cooperation, financial investigations and crime proceeds confiscation, DPM Marković noted in his closing address.

The cooperation between police and the prosecutor’s office, in his words, includes further improvement of international cooperation, constitutional guarantees for prosecutor’s office independence, amendments to the Law on Courts when it comes to corruption, and the promotion of alternative ways to solve criminal cases.

As to financial investigations conduct, DPM continued, the conference proposed the measures such as more precise definition of competences when conducting financial investigations, setting up of a special unit within the Tax Administration to conduct investigations, and greater involvement of the police.

Crime proceeds confiscation is to be advanced provided bodies that are in charge of this matter are given highest possible degree of autonomy, and provided amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code related to the way of confiscation of crime proceeds are adopted.

DPM Markovic also made a reference to the yesterday's decision by the European Parliament, which recommended the opening of accession talks with Montenegro in June, as it was earlier envisaged.

Montenegro will be the first candidate country to open the EU entry talks with Chapters 23 and 24 of the acquis communautaire, he stressed. He concluded by saying  Montenegro began to pursue the EU agenda in this regard when it started implementing the European Commission's seven key priorities, and its efforts and commitment in that regard had not been reduced since.