Podgorica, (MINA) – Montenegro has produced visible results in the area of the rule of law, but plenty of work still lies ahead, it was heard at a meeting of the Subcommittee for Justice, Freedom and Security on Wednesday.
The Subcommittee found that the key challenges for Montenegro include the fight against human trafficking and the cases of violence against journalists.
Negotiator for Chapters 23 and 24 Marijana Lakovic Draskovic stated that the rule of law reforms are the foundation for overall progress, not only in the EU accession talks, but also in developing a just and safe society to the highest European standards.
“Our colleagues from the European Commission have noted once again that, after five years, the implementation of the Actions Plans for chapters 23 and 24 has produced a significant progress in the reform of legislation and development of institutions,” she said.
According to Lakovic Draskovic, representatives of Montenegrin institutions offered to European partners convincing data about stable progress in multiple important aspects of strengthening the rule of law.
She specified that, this year, special prosecutors have launched investigations against 110 natural and two legal persons, including against 85 persons for organized crime and against 18 individuals for high-level corruption.
“Criminal assets worth €30 million have been confiscated,” Lakovic Draskovic said.
According to her, the authorities have seized contraband cigarettes worth over €10 million, as well as several tons of drugs, preventing the entry of narcotics into Montenegro and further on to the EU countries.
Head of Montenegro Unit at the European Commission’s DG NEAR Thomas Hagleitner welcomed the visible results made by Montenegro, adding however that a lot more remains to be done.
“We also have areas where results are not that visible, for example the area of human trafficking and also the cases of violence against journalists,” Hagleitner said.
He underlined that those topics will continue to determine the pace of Montenegro’s EU accession talks.
Asked to comment on a recent statement by EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn that Montenegro’s EU integration process could be stopped if the cases of attacks on journalists are not solved, Hagleitner said that Hahn expressed the European Commission’s position clearly.
“Which is why we expect those attacks to be investigated and that perpetrators are found and bought to justice. We expect results in that area,” Hagleitner said.
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