“Montenegro has an important role in regional efforts to establish the truth about serious human rights violations committed during the wars of the 1990s in the region of former Yugoslavia. However, impunity for wartime crimes and access to adequate reparations for all war victims remain issues that need to be effectively addressed by the authorities” said today Nils Muižnieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, upon release of his report on his visit to Montenegro, carried out from 17 to 20 March 2014.
To this end, the Commissioner recommends developing programmes for systematic professional education and training in international criminal and humanitarian law for prosecutors and judges. At the same time, he urges the authorities to develop, in close consultation with victims, reparation initiatives that go beyond compensation and include victims’ rehabilitation and social inclusion if necessary. The protracted displacement of about 16 500 persons as a result of the wars of the 1990s remains an issue of serious concern.
Despite some important positive measures taken to facilitate access to personal identity documents, a significant number of persons, mostly Roma from Kosovo*, still suffer from the lack of regularisation of their legal status. Deep concerns also persist with regard to the situation of about 2 000 displaced persons, mainly Roma, who still live in the Konik camps near Podgorica.“ (more...)
See also:
Montenegro and the Council of Europe
