Montenegro

Seminar on law enforcement proceedings in Podgorica

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Published: September 21, 2017
A view of the meeting room
A view of the meeting room

On 15 September, a seminar on the “Enforcement and settlement of claims” was held jointly by the IRZ and the Centre for Training in Judiciary and State Prosecution in the Montenegrin capital, Podgorica. The seminar was the first to address both judges and court bailiffs.

The event was opened by the President of the Centre’s Management Committee, Senka Danilović, and the President of the Chamber of Court Bailiffs, Vidak Latković. Following the seminar, the Centre and the Chamber signed a cooperation agreement for training the professional groups mentioned above in law enforcement proceedings.

The direct exchange between judges and court bailiffs led to particularly intense discussions about the speeches made by judge Milena Matović from Podgorica and Prof. Dr. Aleš Galič from Ljubljana, who presented the procedures used in Slovenia. The subjects discussed ranged from problems with proper notification to the specific nature of law enforcement in family matters and questions concerning the value of the lawsuit.

The German Ambassador, Hans Günther Mattern, also underlined the importance of the discussions, taking part himself in the seminar once he had given a welcome speech. He expressly noted that during his time in Montenegro, he had not as yet attended any further education events in which the discussions had been as intense as at this one.

The event was a continuation of the long-term cooperation focussing on civil law between the IRZ and the Centre for Training in Judiciary and State Prosecution.

Discussion on the opinions of the CCJE attended by high-ranking participants in Podgorica

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Published: May 26, 2017

During a high-profile conference held on 15 May in the Montenegrin capital, Podgorica, the translation of the opinions of the Consultative Council of European Judges (CCJE) was presented. The publishers of the almost 400-page document (download as PDF file) had invited the Montenegrin Centre for Training in Judiciary and State Prosecution and the IRZ.

The welcoming speech by German Ambassador Hans Günther Mattern was followed by opening reports from the President of the Managing Committee for the Centre, Senka Danilovic, a judge at the High Court in Podgorica, and from Dr. Stefan Pürner from the IRZ.

The reports, which introduced selected opinions and the corresponding ECtHR case law, were presented by

  • Valentina Pavličić, government representative for Montenegro at the ECtHR and representative for Montenegro at the CCJE, and
  • Andrea Titz, President of the Bavarian Association of Judges and Director of the local court of Wolfratshausen.

Participants included presiding judges, judges at the Supreme Court and a former Minister of Justice. This composition led to multifaceted discussions, during which the qualitative demands on the contents of court decisions were also intensively discussed.

A repeated request from participants was for the topics addressed in the opinions to be discussed further at subsequent events.

The document with the translations is also being distributed by the IRZ in other countries in the region, which have (very) similar languages.

Expert talks held in Podgorica on the fight against corruption and organised crime

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Published: October 20, 2016

From 4 to 6 October 2016, expert talks were held in Podgorica/Montenegro between the Specialist Public Prosecutor’s Office of Montenegro and the Berlin Public Prosecutor’s Office on the fight against corruption and organised crime. These expert talks were led by Senior Public Prosecutor Thorsten Cloidt and Public Prosecutor Katja Anders on behalf of the Berlin Public Prosecutor’s Office. The guests from Germany were welcomed to the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Montenegro by the Head of the Specialist Public Prosecutor's Office of Montenegro, Milivoje Katnić.

This exchange of expertise was part of the continued cooperation between the Specialist Public Prosecutor’s Office of Montenegro and the Berlin Public Prosecutor’s Office, which began in Berlin in July 2016 with a visit from the Specialist Public Prosecutor’s Office of Montenegro. The expert talks are part of the working plan to implement the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Justice for Montenegro and the German Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection.

The discussions and exchanges focussed on investigative methods used to fight corruption and organised crime, as well as on the legal situation and practice in Montenegro. In particular, the cooperation between the police and the Public Prosecutor’s Office was addressed. In this context, talks were also held with the specially established section of the police.

The open and lively discussions provided the representatives of the Berlin Public Prosecutor’s Office with a precise insight into the legal situation and practice in Montenegro. This very harmonious and positive cooperation is set to continue next year.