DPM Marković, Dean Spielmann: No systematic violations of human rights and freedoms in Montenegro

Podgorica, Montenegro (11 July 2014) -- Successful cooperation between Montenegro and the European Court of Human Rights is primarily characterised by temporary engagement of Montenegro’s judges in this court, training programmes for judges, prosecutors and lawyers, as well as seminars involving judges from the Court in Strasbourg, Montenegro’s Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Duško Marković, and President of the European Court of Human rights Dean Spielmann agreed at today’s meeting in Podgorica.

When it comes to cases against Montenegro before this court, the two officials agreed that according to previous rulings, there is neither systematic violations of human rights and freedoms in Montenegro nor pilot judgments showing repeated cases of violation, but on the other hand, there is a significant number of applications the Court finds unacceptable.

DPM Marković informed Mr Spielmann about judicial reform processes in Montenegro and the result achieved by introducing two new legal instruments of notaries and bailiffs, which directly contribute to the strengthening of legal certainty. Given that applications before the Court in Strasbourg, when it comes to Montenegro, are mostly related to the protection of the right to trial within a reasonable time, Deputy Prime Minister Markovic pointed out that national statistics show there has been a significant increase in the efficiency of the Montenegrin courts.

Mr Spielmann informed the Deputy Prime Minister about the reform process within the European Court of Human Rights which are being carried out in order to improve its performance and effectiveness of the application of the European Convention on Human Rights. In that context, the DPM Marković pledged Montenegro full support to these activities, adding all judgments against Montenegro are in standard execution procedure, and that all the liabilities to claimants are being paid in a timely manner.