According to the number of complaints before the European Court of Human Rights in relation to the number of inhabitants, Montenegro is among the first five countries this year. According to the Council of Europe data, this year, the citizens of Montenegro mostly complained about the violation of the right to a trial within a reasonable time, as is the case with applications from most of the countries of Europe.
On the occassion of the International Human Rights Day, at the Faculty of Law of the University of Montenegro, a simulation of the Strasbourg trial was held in which students of the University of Montenegro, the University of Donja Gorica, the Mediterranean University and the University of Strasbourg took part. In English, they have successfully played the roles of all parties that meet the Strasbourg court. Thus, the arguments were made by the representatives of the applicant, as well as representatives of the state against which the alleged human rights violation proceedings were initiated. This student trial was followed by a jury, and it ended exactly the same way that every trial in Strasbourg ends - the pronouncement of the verdict.
The importance of a full understanding of the way in which the protection of human rights was exercised before the domestic and court in Strasbourg was stressed out by Ljiljana Jovanovic from the Center for Human Rights of the Faculty of Law, Deputy Ombudsman, for the area of children's rights, youth and social welfare Snezana Mijuskovic, Advisor for European Integration and the Rule of Law of the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro Barbara Rotovnik and Head of Unit for South East Europe and Turkey Council of Europe Daniel Schmidt.
"Today, human rights are often implied, although this is not the case in many countries. And we must not forget that. We need you, we need future generations not to forget the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted 70 years ago, but also other documents. The Council of Europe is therefore always ready to support future lawyers on their way to true human rights defenders. The work of lawyers dealing with this area is not glamorous, but is based on the values that are the foundation of today's and the society of the future." Daniel Schmidt told students.
"People are looking towards the EU when journalists are in detention, when minority groups are at risk, when their human rights are violated. This is a sign that the European Union is today an example of respect for human rights in the world, which is one of its fundamental values. For the period 2014-2020, the European Union has allocated around EUR 5 million to different projects that promote human rights in Montenegro, and an additional 20 million euros has been allocated for a project implemented by the Council of Europe in the countries of the Western Balkans and Turkey. The human rights area remains one of the most important parts of Montenegro's accession process to the European Union, and we encourage Montenegro to work hard to promote respect for human rights and freedoms ", said Barbara Rotovnik.
The simulation of the trial and lecture for students of law faculties were organized by the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro, the Law Faculty of the University of Montenegro, the Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms of Montenegro, the Council of Europe Program Office in Podgorica, the Citizen Alliance, the Association of Lawyers of Montenegro and the Association "Plaider les droits de l'homme ".
