DPM Koprivica meets in Strasbourg with President of the European Court of Human Rights Mattias Guyomar and Vice-President Ivana Jelić

Deputy Prime Minister for Political System, Judiciary and Anti-Corruption Momo Koprivica met in Strasbourg with the President of the European Court of Human Rights, Mattias Guyomar, and the Court’s Vice-President, Ivana Jelić.

The meeting focused on the importance of the European human rights protection system, the execution of the Court’s judgments, and Montenegro’s future cooperation with the European Court of Human Rights.

Deputy Prime Minister Koprivica stressed that Montenegro is committed to making a full contribution to the work of the Court, not only through the consistent execution of its judgments, but also through the credible secondment of national judges, thereby further confirming its commitment to European standards and to strengthening international institutions for the protection of human rights.

He underlined that the European Convention on Human Rights and the protection system built on its principles represent one of the key values of modern Europe. In that context, he said that Montenegro, as a European country aspiring to join the European Union, is a strong partner and consistent supporter of the Convention and the European Court of Human Rights.

Speaking about the execution of the Court’s judgments, Koprivica emphasized that Montenegro has a strong political will and determination to fully implement the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, and that it has improved the implementation process.

We do not perceive the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights as judgments against Montenegro. On the contrary, they have contributed to improving the protection of human rights, strengthening the rule of law, and further developing the legislative and institutional framework for the protection of the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens, Koprivica said.

He also informed his interlocutors about the measures taken by the Government to improve the restitution process and its planned strengthening, an issue that is also being addressed by the Rule of Law Council chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Koprivica.

ECHR President Guyomar expressed satisfaction with the visit of the Deputy Prime Minister of Montenegro and highlighted the importance of cooperation and support, stressing that it is particularly important that judgments are not interpreted as punishment for a state, but as an incentive and positive influence on the development of reforms. He noted that the Court is highly operational in the protection of human rights and therefore requires institutional support for its impartial and objective work. On this occasion, he expressed the view that Montenegro is of key importance for stability and for promoting the values on which the European Convention on Human Rights is founded in this part of Europe. He particularly praised the dedication of Judge Jelić, assessing that her appointment represents a bridge of cooperation between Montenegro and the European Court of Human Rights.

ECHR President Guyomar also pointed to the importance of the Court’s work in the current circumstances marked by crises, populism and the war in Ukraine, while particularly emphasizing the importance of strengthening the rule of law in order to address these challenges. He explained that this is why political support and assistance are important, expressing hope for further intensification of cooperation during Montenegro’s Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

ECHR Vice-President Jelić expressed satisfaction with Montenegro’s progress in executing judgments, including in particularly demanding cases, stressing that the efficient and timely execution of judgments is a key prerequisite for preserving the credibility of the human rights protection system and for the full enjoyment of the rights guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights.

The interlocutors also exchanged views on the priorities of Montenegro’s forthcoming Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. Koprivica stressed that the Convention-based human rights protection system will be high on Montenegro’s agenda during its Chairmanship.

In this regard, he announced the organization of two important international events – a conference dedicated to combating gender-based violence and femicide, which will be opened by the President of the Court, and a conference dedicated to the execution of judgments and the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights relating to Articles 3 and 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The Deputy Prime Minister expressed particular satisfaction with the forthcoming visit of President Guyomar to Montenegro, planned for the second half of the year, assessing that the visit will provide an additional impetus for strengthening cooperation between Montenegro and the European Court of Human Rights.

The interlocutors jointly assessed that preserving and further strengthening the European human rights protection system is of essential importance for the democratic development of European societies, and confirmed their readiness to continue close and substantive cooperation in this regard.