Montenegro is committed to rule of law reforms

European Commission officials and representatives of relevant Montenegrin institutions analyzed the most important elements of the complex area of rule of law and the next key steps at the tenth meeting of the EU-Montenegro Subcommittee on Justice, Freedom and Security, held on 17 and 18 March 2021.

The meeting, held online, specifically discussed the fulfillment of Montenegro's commitments in the EU accession negotiations in the main policy areas covered by Chapters 23 and 24, which include, inter alia, judicial reform, fundamental rights, the fight against corruption and organized crime, judicial cooperation, cooperation in the field of combating drug trafficking and terrorism, as well as migration and border management.

Thomas Hagleitner, Head of the Unit for Montenegro at the European Commission’s Directorate for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, said:

"The rule of law is one of the basic values of the EU and as such, it is a key element of the EU accession process, which determines the overall dynamics of Montenegrin negotiations on EU accession. In order to make further progress on its path to the EU, your country now needs to meet the provisional benchmarks in Chapters 23 and 24. To achieve this important step, your country must intensify its efforts and achieve results, especially in key problem areas such as media freedom and the fight against corruption and organized crime. It is also important that Montenegro does not lag behind when it comes to achievements in the field of justice, that the Montenegrin judiciary shows commitment to full and unambiguous implementation of reforms and that a political consensus on the remaining appointments in the judiciary is reached in the Parliament. Finally, depoliticized and professional public institutions should work impartially in the interests of all citizens, building on the progress made in recent years. We welcome the Government's commitment to a reform agenda aimed at EU membership, as well as the very strong support of Montenegrin citizens for EU integration. The European Union and its member states, together with our partners, are ready to help Montenegro move more decisively towards the EU."

Montenegro's Chief Negotiator with the EU Zorka Kordić said that Montenegro's strategic commitment is to become the next member of the European Union, and that all capacities will continue to be focused on meeting the criteria from the EU accession agenda, with a focus on obtaining reports on provisional benchmarks for Chapters 23 and 24.

"The Government is determined to implement a fundamental reform of the rule of law, including meeting the provisional benchmarks in Chapters 23 and 24. As the Prime Minister noted in his speech in the Parliament, the new Government will bring justice to its citizens and fight corruption as a negative social and political phenomenon, following the principle of "zero tolerance for corruption". The Subcommittee is an opportunity to hear both the Government's perspective and the most important institutions in Montenegro, including the judiciary and the prosecution, as the reform of the rule of law is a common task of the whole society," said Kordić.

Minister of Justice, Human and Minority Rights Vladimir Leposavić said in his introductory speech that the Ministry he heads continues to make efforts to achieve positive practices, especially when it comes to the process of judicial reform, in a way that would be more efficient and more harmonised with the Constitution. He emphasised that it is not easy to fulfill the stated two criteria, but also that he will not give up.

When it comes to legislative reforms in the field of justice, Minister Leposavić said that no major changes are needed in relation to the constitutional reforms from 2013, but that certain legal provisions should be specified in order to strengthen the system of mutual control and thus open space for further reforms.

Regarding the initiative to amend the Law on the State Prosecutor's Office and the adoption of a new Law on the Prosecutor's Office for Organized Crime and Corruption, he pointed out that the Government and the Ministry of Justice, Human and Minority Rights strive for positive changes and implementation of reforms according to the Constitution and European practice, including the opinion of the Venice Commission. In addition, he stressed that the Government wants to ensure a broad dialogue on this topic, both internally and with European partners. This is confirmed by the fact that a public call for consultations on the laws in question was recently announced and that these laws were forwarded to the Venice Commission for an opinion.

Minister of the Interior Sergej Sekulović said that European integration is and remains a priority of the Ministry of the Interior and the Government of Montenegro. He pointed out that the Ministry of the Interior, after the first democratic change of government in Montenegro, will do everything to affirm a good existing practice, but also to effectively make needed changes.

In that sense, Minister Sekulović pointed out the proposal of the Law on Internal Affairs as particularly important, which includes the recommendations of the experts of the European Commission. He assessed transparency and commitment in the implementation of reforms in the area of the rule of law as no less important. He stressed that the EU will have a reliable partner in Montenegro, who will always present actual situation, but also the next steps in improving existing issues that are not at a satisfactory level.

The Subcommittee meeting is part of the regular political dialogue between the EU and Montenegro, which takes place within the framework of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement.