Abazović meets with ECHR President Robert Spano

The rule of law cannot exist without gender equality. Only the society of equality can be a society of progress, said Deputy Prime Minister Dritan Abazović at a press conference ahead of the Judicial Forum "Gender Equality and the Western Balkans" organised by AIRE Centre and the UK Government.

Abazović pointed out that he was glad he had the opportunity to help raise awareness on this topic, adding that there's a lot of room for improvement in Montenegro and the region.

We need to transform in the right way. We need the support of the European Court of Human Rights in this. The protection of human rights in this region is not always at the proper level, but it implies additional effort of all public office holders and promoters of universal values, the media community, in order to jointly encourage the development of an equality society. Without the rule of law, there is no economic progress of the society, Abazović pointed out.

Ahead of the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Abazović met with Robert Spano, President of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, and Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights.

Spano stated that the ECHR attaches great importance to the dialogue with the actors in the region, and especially with the holders of a judicial office.

We recognise the high degree of respect for the standards of the Convention that the competent authorities show in Montenegro. The support of the Government in the process of strengthening gender equality is of key importance, Spano said.

DPM Abazović stressed that he was honored by the visit of an ECHR delegation from Strasbourg, led by President Spano.

Gender equality is achieved through the active engagement of all relevant social factors. Montenegro shall endeavor to fully respect the standards set by the Strasbourg Court. The Montenegrin judiciary is obliged to respond to the challenges of the modern age, Abazović pointed out at the meeting with Spano.

Valentina Pavličić, Representative of Montenegro before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, Bojan Božović, State Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Human and Minority Rights, and Ivo Šoć, Legal Adviser to the Deputy Prime Minister were also present at the meeting.