Rule of Law Council to hold a special session on the independence of the judiciary

An independent judiciary must be completely free from political or any other undue influence in order to ensure justice, the rule of law, and, consequently, Montenegro's success on its European path - this was the key message from the session of the Rule of Law Council, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Momo Koprivica.

At the session, the Council unanimously adopted a conclusion to hold a special thematic session in the near future focusing on issues related to the independence of the judiciary.

In this context, the Council emphasized that Montenegro has clear and unequivocal obligations to preserve judicial independence in line with the standards of the Council of Europe and the European Union.

The Council also recalled that the autonomy of the State Prosecutor's Office is guaranteed by the Constitution and represents a key safeguard against any form of political control over criminal prosecution. Only in this way, the Council stressed, can Montenegro continue and accelerate its non-selective fight against organized crime and corruption, which has already been positively recognized by international institutions.

The Council expressed its support for the work of the prosecution service, which, with clearly defined accountability mechanisms, must operate fully independently, within the Constitution and the law.

The Rule of Law Council also strongly condemned any attempts to mislead the public through hybrid activities or efforts to discredit the professional integrity of key officials within the Police Directorate or law enforcement bodies - actions aimed at weakening and undermining the state's security capacity and its core functions.

During the session, the Council also considered and accepted the information presented by the President of the Supreme Court regarding the need to adapt the courtroom of the Basic Court in Podgorica to serve the requirements of the Special Department of the High Court in Podgorica. A series of conclusions were adopted assigning responsibilities to the competent authorities to renovate and adapt the space and procure the necessary security and technical equipment for the safe conduct of trials involving members of organized criminal groups.

The Rule of Law Council is chaired by Deputy Prime Minister for Political System, Justice and Anti-Corruption Momo Koprivica, with Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorčević serving as Deputy Chair. Other members include the Ministers of Justice, Interior, and Human and Minority Rights; Presidents of the Constitutional and Supreme Courts; the President of the Judicial Council; the Supreme State Prosecutor; the Chief Special Prosecutor; the Ombudsman; Directors of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption and the Police Directorate; the Chief Negotiator with the EU; heads of working groups for chapters 23 and 24; and a representative of the NGO sector.