DPM Marković infomed EU member states' ambassadors about Montenegro's justice reform process

Podgorica, Montenegro (5 December 2013) – Montenegro accepts openly and proactively the new approach to the EU membership, according to which the Chapters 23 and 24 are to be opened at the beginning and closed at the end of the accession process, Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Duško Marković underlined at yesterday’s meeting with the EU member states’ ambassadors in Podgorica, ahead of one of the most important decisions in the negotiating process - the opening of the chapters related to judiciary and fundamental rights, and justice, freedom and security.

DPM Marković informed the ambassadors about Montenegro’s achievements in strengthening the rule of law and judicial reform in 2013, primarily referring to constitutional amendments and harmonisation of organisational legislation with the new constitutional arrangements, which have created conditions for further strengthening independence and efficiency of the judiciary.

He commented on Montenegro’s proactive approach when it comes to regional and bilateral cooperation, affirming the Montenegrin initiative to sign bilateral extradition treaties which provided for the extradition of its own nationals.

He also paid attention to the negotiation process between Montenegro and the Eurojust and Europol in order to conclude cooperation agreements, emphasising the Memorandum of Understanding between Montenegro’s Ministry of Justice and justice ministries of the EU member states as a solid foundation for exchanging experience and expertise in various fields. "We also made significant results in horizontal and judicial international cooperation, that is, the Montenegrin institutions joined European judicial networks in observer capacity," DPM Marković noted.

The Deputy Prime Minister briefed the foreign diplomats about Montenegro’s activities towards combating corruption and organised crime, putting particular emphasis on the adoption of a model for improving anti-corruption institutional and normative preventive framework, thus creating conditions for drafting the Law on Anti-Corruption Agency, adopting the Analysis of the organisational structure, capacity and authority of state bodies in the fight against corruption and organised crime. The aim of these measures is to set up a Special Prosecutor's Office for combating organised crime and corruption modelled on the Croatian experience, he explained.

Speaking about results in fighting against corruption, DPM Marković said that more significant results in these areas require more time and development of anti-corruption culture in the country, despite the fact that out of 156 measures envisaged by the Action Plan for the National Strategy for Combating Organised Crime and Corruption, 109 were completed or partially completed. He concluded by referring to the activities scheduled for the next year in accordance with the obligations under the Action Plans for the Chapters 23 and 24, since it is virtually certain that negotiations in these areas will be opened by the end of 2013.

EU member states’ ambassadors in Podgorica commended Montenegro’s success in these areas and in protecting and promoting fundamental human rights. In particular, they were interested in further steps in appointing judges and prosecutors, with special emphasis on the appointment procedure in relevant professional bodies, as well as in the Parliament.