Statement by DPM Koprivica

The affirmative assessments expressed by Serge Brammertz, Prosecutor of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism), regarding the work of Montenegro's Special State Prosecutor's Office and the state prosecution system during his address to the United Nations Security Council about the work of the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP), underscore the substantive reforms underway within our prosecution service.

Among other points, he emphasized that Montenegro requested to significantly strengthen cooperation with the OTP to support investigations and prosecutions of war crimes. Through the joint task force established late last year, the OTP has provided extensive investigative support to an important case file. The OTP also assisted with the preparation of the indictment in a separate case.

This approach and the results achieved in an area that had seen little progress for years align with our society’s and state’s fundamental goals to ensure the non-selective prosecution of all perpetrators and to shed light on the most serious crimes. In addition to combating organized crime and corruption, which remain among the most challenging inherited issues for our society and where measurable results have already been achieved, addressing these crimes is both a legal and moral imperative. This commitment led to amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code to allow the use of evidence from the Mechanism, which is also a step of significance for Montenegro's EU integration process.

Within its mandate, the Government of Montenegro remains dedicated to providing essential support for the independent and professional functioning of the state prosecution system. In line with this commitment, the Law on the Special State Prosecutor's Office has been reformed, the status of the Special Police Department has been strengthened, and a range of initiatives has been undertaken. These include adapting the old Government building for the needs of the Special State Prosecutor's Office and the Special Police Department, preparing for the establishment of a judicial police force, and implementing measures to address spatial capacity shortages in offices such as those in Pljevlja and Rožaje. Additionally, legislative incentives have been introduced to encourage prosecutors to work in their home regions, along with further measures to improve the material and financial conditions of judicial officeholders.

A robust state prosecution system is a cornerstone of a functional legal order.