Posted on 

Judicial Reform: Upgrading CSO’s capacities to contribute to the integrity of judiciary

In order to move forward on its path to the European Union, Montenegro needs to make further progress in the rule of law reform, including in the implementation of the judiciary reform.

This project aimed to contribute to achieving a higher level of the rule of law in Montenegro, particularly by: increasing the level of professionalism, accountability, efficiency and integrity of the judiciary; improving the monitoring and advocacy capacities of local CSOs; and strengthening cooperation between civil society and judicial institutions, in line with the EU accession criteria under Chapters 23 and 24.

During its implementation period, the project helped improve the legal framework relating to the judicial system of Montenegro. In particular, it resulted in the adoption of a medium-term Plan for streamlining the court network and in the establishment of standardised statistical reporting in line with the CEPEJ guidelines. Furthermore, the Action Plan accompanying the 2019-2020 Judicial Reform Strategy was adopted and implemented. In addition, a new web platform for courts, the State Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of Justice was set up, while the project also helped prepare policy papers with recommendations for relevant policy changes in the judicial system.

The project also contributed to establishing effective mechanisms of cooperation between CSOs and judicial institutions. Additionally, it helped build the capacities of CSOs through a sub-granting scheme on topics in the area of justice, including court monitoring methodology, advocacy, trial monitoring, anti-corruption and access to justice. The following 6 projects benefited from the sub-granting scheme:

Project name:

Judicial Reform: Upgrading CSO’s capacities to contribute to the integrity of judiciary

Sector:

  • Civil Society

Start time:

15/09/2017

End time:

14/03/2020

Location:

Montenegro – Basic Courts: Ulcinj, Herceg Novi, Kotor, Bar, Plav, Rozaje, Cetinje, Bijelo Polje, Kolasin, Berane, Niksic, Zabljak, Pljevlja, Podgorica, Danilovgrad; High Courts: Podgorica, Bijelo Polje.

Budget:

292136.00€

Beneficiary:

Centre for monitoring and research (CeMI)
Partners: NGO Center for Democracy and Human Rights – CEDEM; NGO Network for Affirmation of European Integration Process – MAEIP; Associates: Ministry of Justice, Supreme Court of Montenegro

More info:

https://cemi.org.me/
https://www.facebook.com/CeMIMontenegro/
https://twitter.com/cemi_me

News:

Additonal materials:

Grants

61603397_1385328671605262_6576750903443849216_n

Affirmative sign – the use of symbolic signs for the promotion of positive life values and affirmative action as a tool for prevention of peer violence

  • Implemented by the NGO Youth Cultural Center Herceg Novi, with an aim to contribute to preventing and combating peer violence by promoting positive values through creative interventions in public spaces. 250 students and 20 teachers participated in its activities and 25 creative workshops were conducted in primary and secondary schools. The workshops combined creative work, followed by discussions on diversity, friendship, tolerance, etc. Each series of 5 workshops ended with a joint painting of a fresco, which represents the positive values discussed during the workshops.
spektra

Action for TRANSforming the schools

  • Implemented by the Association “Spektra”, with an aim to contribute to the fight against peer violence towards trans gender youth. Within this sub-grant was established cooperation with key stakeholders: Ministry of Education, Institute for Education and UNICEF. Also, a Memorandum of Cooperation with secondary school "Mirko Vešović" was signed, and a plan of educational activities in that school is in making. The research "Responding to Violence: Research on Discrimination against Transgender and Gender-Variating Students in Secondary Schools in Montenegro" was conducted and presented, together with the "Guidelines for Creating a Safe School Environment for Gender Diversity". In cooperation with the Pedagogical Center, training for capacity building of transgender and gender-diverse activists for conducting education were organised. This sub-grant helped raise awareness on prevention and protection mechanisms against peer violence against transgender and gender-diverse students by creating and implementing an online campaign "To ring the violence".

Our Money

  • Implemented by the Association of professional journalists of Montenegro and the Trade Union of Montenegrin Physicians, with an aim to empower journalists and media to more effectively monitor public spending in Montenegro, as well as doctors and journalists to specifically monitor public spending in the health sector. As part of this subgrant, two training sessions were organised for both journalists and doctors. One training was organised on monitoring and reporting on budgetary spending; and the other one on monitoring of budget spending in the health sector. Additionally, a brochure compiling six investigative journalism articles (three on public spending and three on budget spending in the health sector) was prepared and published in print and online media.
Regional-Development-Agency-Ulcinj-Business-Association

Ulcinj’s civil society monitors public spending

  • Implemented by the Regional Development Agency" – Ulcinj Business Association, with an aim to strengthen the capacity of civil society organisations based in Ulcinj municipality to participate adequately in monitoring the spending of public funds. Within this subgrant, an analysis of the local budget spending of Ulcinj municipality was prepared and presented to the stakeholders; and training for 20 NGO representatives from Ulcinj municipality on monitoring of budget spending and participative budgeting was organised.

Our Money – Yours or Our Responsibility

  • Implemented by the NGO NADA – Herceg Novi, with an aim to increase the level of Herceg Novi citizens’ understanding of the budget cycle and openness of local self-government for participatory budgeting and civic monitoring of public money spending. NGO NADA compiled and submitted citizen’s ideas for infrastructure investments in Herceg Novi as an initiative to the local self-government for infrastructural local development and budget planning. Also, three initiatives on participative budgeting and budget transparency were submitted to the local self-government. Within the subgrant were organised a workshop on participative budgeting for 23 NGO representatives; round table on participative budgeting at the local level; as well as panel discussion and final conference on local budget and transparency.
More-transparent-concessions-for-the-exploitation-of-gravel-and-forest

More transparent concessions for the exploitation of gravel and forest

  • Implemented by the Democratic Centre of Bijelo Polje and Centre for Creative Skills, with an aim to strengthen the application of anti-corruption policies through raising the awareness of citizens in Berane and Bijelo Polje municipalities on the importance of combating corruption at the local level. As part of this subgrant, a research on concessions for gravel and forest exploitation in Bijelo Polje and Berane was conducted. Furthermore, two photo exhibitions were organised in Bijelo Polje and Berane on the state of the Lim River on several locations after concessionaire’s activities; and a video on state of the Lim River on locations where the concessionaires are exploiting gravel and sand was prepared and promoted.
Transparent-public-spending-on-Roma-inclusion-policies

Transparent public spending on Roma inclusion policies

  • Implemented by the “Walk with us” Phiren Amenca, with an aim to empower Roma’s civil society organisations to participate in monitoring of public spending. Therefore, within this subgrant a publication “Analysis of the financing of Roma people public policies on the local and national level” was prepared and published. In order to build capacities in budgetary planning and overseeing the budgetary spending for Roma people of CSOs dealing with Roma people’s rights and policies, two trainings were organised for their representatives, and a conference was organised to present research findings and recommendations to stakeholders.
becici-27okt43-2

Games of Chance – How to reach a more efficient and transparent system

  • It was implemented by the Institute for Legal Studies, with an aim to contribute to more efficient and accountable management of public finances in Montenegro. More precisely, the specific goal of this subgrant was to define guidelines for the development of new public policy for collecting and spending public funds from games of chance. Within this subgrant a publication ‘’Improving the efficiency and transparency of the games of chance system of Montenegro’’ was prepared, published and printed in 250 copies, with a total of 28 recommendations for different types of games of chance. One infographic with key research findings was prepared and published, and a conference was held to present research findings to interested parties and stakeholders. Also, 12 meetings with stakeholders were held to discuss institutional and overall reform of the games of chance system.

Our budget is our business!

  • Implemented by the Association of Youth with Disabilities, with an aim to contribute to control the spending of special contributions for the employment of persons with disabilities (PWDs) and the process of budget planning for measures of professional rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities. Within this subgrant was produced an Analysis on the financial aspects of the Law on professional rehabilitation and employment of PWDs 2019, with 33 recommendations; and a roundtable for presenting the analysis with more than 70 participants/stakeholders was organised. Additionally, guidelines on the payment of special contributions for people with disabilities were adopted and published on the Tax Administration’s website. A public advocacy campaign, including one TV show on the payment of special contributions for people with disabilities was conducted.

Judicial Reform: Upgrading CSO’s capacities to contribute to the integrity of judiciary

Fusce porttitor faucibus est, ac feugiat libero. Sed cursus justo erat, vitae dignissim turpis imperdiet vitae. Aliquam mattis odio sed lacus euismod, eget placerat diam consectetur. Fusce in erat sit amet orci euismod semper. Proin at tristique sem, at suscipit neque. Ut pellentesque sagittis leo, non ullamcorper libero rhoncus vitae. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Suspendisse egestas nulla quis turpis gravida, vel convallis enim vehicula. Ut a luctus purus. Aliquam placerat, mauris at pellentesque fermentum, magna metus vulputate arcu, sed varius mi libero id lacus. Pellentesque consequat quam non tincidunt maximus. Nulla egestas lobortis ligula ut blandit. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Integer a urna at purus varius placerat vitae non turpis.

Implemented by the NGO Monitor Center for Media and Democracy, with an aim to help reducing the level of peer violence against Roma youth. In order to raise awareness of peer violence against members of the Roma community, this sub-grant included production of several research articles. In the research process were also involved journalists from the Roma portal “Romalitika”.