US Ambassador Sue K. Brown: USA strongly supports Montenegro’s national and foreign-policy goals

Podgorica, Montenegro (22 July 2014) – The USA strongly supports Montenegro’s efforts aimed at achieving national and foreign-policy goals, particularly when it comes to strengthening the rule of law as a precondition for development of democracy and economic prosperity, the US Ambassador to Montenegro Sue K. Brown stressed yesterday at the meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Duško Marković.

DPM Marković highlighted that Montenegro and USA cherish strong partnership and friendly relations not only at political level, but also at project level in many fields important for the rule of law, adding the US support is crucial for implementing requirements within European and Euro-Atlantic agenda.

Activities within the Action Plan for negotiating chapter 23 are aimed at creating preconditions for successful prevention and suppression of corruption and organised crime, as well as for drafting the legislative framework for the establishment of an agency for fight against corruption and the Special Prosecutor’s Office, DPM Marković explained. When it comes to reforms in the field of intelligence and security sector, the measures needed for meeting the NATO standards are being implemented according to the estimated deadlines, DPM Marković added.

The meeting also underlined that the Annex to the Agreement on Law Enforcement between the Government of Montenegro and the US Government aimed at extending the implementation of this Agreement for 2015, will be signed as quickly as possible. The Agreement was initially signed on 8th July 2011 in order to provide support to the Government of Montenegro in preventing and suppressing all types of organised crime, particularly referring to improving the quality of criminal proceedings and strengthening capacities of the Montenegrin institutions in charge for fight against organised crime.