The Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey is a co-operation initiative of the European Union and the Council of Europe for South East Europe. It is a three-year programme, which was implemented from May 2016 for a period of 36 months. The actions under the Horizontal Facility are funded primarily by the EU and are co-funded and implemented by the Council of Europe.
Significant progress has been made in the judicial reform in Montenegro, however, there is still room for improvement. The strengthening of the rule of law depends on the reform of the judiciary, whose results need to be sustainable and serve the citizens of Montenegro.
These were the main conclusions of the round table “Achievements, challenges and perspectives in the reform of the judiciary in Montenegro” which took place in Podgorica on 26 March 2018. The event was jointly organised by the Council of Europe and the Ministry of Justice of Montenegro.
Mr Pažin, Minister of Justice of Montenegro, Mr Orav, Head of the European Union Delegation to Montenegro, Mr Stanković, Chief State Prosecutor of Montenegro, Mr Vukčević, President of the Judicial Council Ms Vučinić, Deputy president of the Supreme Court and Ms Longo, Head of the Council of Europe Programme Office in Podgorica addressed the participants during the opening session. Participants were key judicial national stakeholders, embassies, international and civil society organisations.
The European Union and the Council of Europe confirmed their committment to encourage and support Montenegro in its endevours to overcome the challenges in the functioning of the judiciary and in the strengthening of its independence, efficiency, impartiality, responsibility and quality.
The Action “Accountability of the Judicial System” is jointly funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe within the “Horizontal Facility for Western Balkans and Turkey” and implemented by the Council of Europe.
