DPM Pažin: Agency for Prevention of Corruption shows promising results

Deputy Prime Minister for Political System, Internal and Foreign Policy Zoran Pažin opened today the ceremony of the Agency for Prevention of Corruption, marking the beginning of the implementation of project activities within the IPA 2014 Twinning Project "Support the Implementation of Integrity Measures", organised in partnership with Italian National Anticorruption Authority (ANAC).

DPM Pažin expressed the hope that the activities within this project and achieved results will have their visible impact, bearing in mind the areas to be addressed by the project. Particularly significant is the impact of the planned measures, both in relation to strengthening the system of integrity in the public sector, and increasing the confidence of citizens in the whistleblower protection system. Also, important are the efforts that will be invested through the realisation of this project regarding to training of individuals who will strengthen capacities for improvement and implementation of integrity plans in public administration. In such activities, maintaining quality cooperation and trust between the Agency and other institutions is of key importance, and this project will result in finding new levels and forms of joint action, DPM Pažin said.

Referring to the work of the Agency, the Deputy Prime Minister stressed that significant efforts of the employees are behind the Agency. The Agency showed promising results, thus confirming the justification of the commitment for its establishment. The Agency can, through a further proactive approach in fulfilling its competences, provide its contribution to the state's efforts in this field, DPM Pažin believes.

Pažin reminded that Montenegro has also demonstrated its intentions for a clear fight against corruption through the establishment of a Special State Prosecutor's Office, which, together with the Agency, makes two new, solid links to deal with this social problem. In addition to the stated institutional aspect, full contribution was also given through the strengthening of the legal system for fighting corruption, on the basis of which Montenegro already recorded an adequate balance of the achieved results. All of this was implemented and is being implemented in the coordination of competent institutions, fulfilling obligations established by strategic documents for the fight against corruption and organised crime, in particular action plans for Chapters 23 and 24, and the Operational Document for the Prevention of Corruption in the Areas of Special Risks, as Annex of the Action Plan For Chapter 23.

As part of the EU pre-accession assistance to Montenegro, the project " Support the Implementation of Integrity Measures " aims to improve the system of integrity and strengthen anticorruption mechanisms in the public sector in Montenegro, as well as to strengthen the Agency's capacities of coordination, supervision and implementation of mechanisms, with special emphasis on integrity plans, protection of whistleblowers and lobbying in the public sector of Montenegro.