The alignment of victims' rights in criminal proceedings with the EU acquis and the case-law developed by the European Court of Human Rights is an important part of the ongoing co-operation action to improve procedural safeguards in judicial proceedings in Montenegro.

Even though the system of safeguards in criminal proceedings in Montenegro for victims’ rights largely complies with the relevant European standards, Montenegrin legislation and case law still lacks a systematic and harmonised approach. The remaining challenges were addressed in a detailed work plan and its recommendations examined during a meeting organised on 17 March. Legal professionals (national judges, prosecutors, and lawyers), representatives of the European Delegation to Montenegro, European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, and Council of Europe participated in the discussion and provided their feedback on the work plan.

While some general principles were established, it was agreed that the details of the measures will be discussed during the following months. The main points raised were the definition of “victim”, the extension of victims' participation in criminal proceedings, the need to ensure a reasonable length of the proceedings and the necessity to provide compensation in the context of criminal procedures.

The action "Improved procedural safeguards in judicial proceedings in Montenegro" is a part of the joint European Union/Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022”.