Podgorica, (MINA) - The Supreme Court of Montenegro has developed the Guidelines for Sentencing in Cases of High-Level Corruption, which represent a practical and advisory instrument to support judges in strengthening their knowledge, professional capacities and standardizing judicial practice in these cases.

The Supreme Court explained that the guidelines will apply to criminal offenses prescribed by the Criminal Code of Montenegro, including abuse of office, fraud in service, illegal influence, inducing illegal influence, and receiving and giving bribes.

“The document is based on the key principles of proper sentencing, including deterrence and prevention, proportionality to harm, confiscation of illegal property benefits, as well 

President of the Supreme Court of Montenegro Valentina Pavlicic pointed out that the goal of drafting the Guidelines is to improve the criminal policy in cases of high-level corruption, bearing in mind deep and long-lasting negative impact of these criminal acts on society, the legal order and the public trust in institutions.

“Penal policy in the area of ​​high-level corruption must clearly show that no public office is a privilege above the law, but rather a responsibility under the law, and that the legal order has effective, proportionate and deterrent mechanisms for protecting the public interest and public trust”, said Pavlicic.

It is added that the preparation of the Guidelines represents an important step in fulfilling the final benchmarks in negotiation Chapters 23 and 24, as well as obligations from strategic national documents and the European Commission reports, which indicate the need to improve penal policy and consistent application of the principle of proportionate and deterrent punishment in cases of corruption and serious and organized crime.