Centre for Monitoring and Research (CeMI) organized the final meeting of the Civic Council for Free and Fair Elections on March 31, 2025.The Civic Council is an initiative aimed at improving the electoral process in Montenegro, with a special focus on ensuring transparency, upholding democratic standards, and protecting voters' rights.During its work, the Council analyzed the existing electoral legislative framework and identified key areas in need of reform. Throughout previous meetings, member

🌈 Join a two-day training for LGBTI political engagement and activism!🌈This training is intended for all members of LGBTI community who want to be actively involved in political and social life, but face fears of discrimination due to their sexual orientation. Also, the training is open for representatives of NGOs who want to contribute to achieving equality and improving the rights of LGBTI persons in Montenegro. During the training, you will: ✅ Learn how to get involved in publi

The Basic State Prosecutor’s Office (BSPO) in a small municipality in the north of the country has been unsuccessfully trying for months to provide professional support from the police in a case formed due to suspicion of multimillion-dollar embezzlement. The collection of evidence, in cooperation with colleagues from other prosecutor’s offices, lasted for months. They claim several criminal acts were proven, but they cannot trace the money.This is where police experts for financial investigatio

Montenegro does not perceive China as a primary threat or a key strategic partner. Instead, the government should prioritize the nation’s primary interest: advancing toward European Union membership and aligning policies with EU standards.This approach would underscore Montenegro’s dedication to European integration. Moreover, the adoption of a comprehensive state strategy for bilateral cooperation with China is essential. Such a strategy should outline clear objectives and ensure agreements ref

In the past two months, CeMI has organized two meetings of the Citizens’ Council for Free and Fair Elections.  The Council represents an initiative aimed at improving the electoral process in Montenegro, with a special focus on ensuring transparency, respect for democratic standards and protecting voting rights.  The goal is to update and establish a public dialogue on all contentious provisions of electoral legislation in Montenegro. The Council’s members, including represen

Members of the Roma and Egyptian communities lack sufficient awareness or understanding of their legal rights in court. As a result, there is an urgent need for further education and training for all participants in criminal proceedings. This would ensure that both defendants and victims are fully informed and able to effectively exercise their rights, particularly the right to free legal aid.This was the key takeaway from the conference "Contributing to More Effective Protection of the Rights o

Criminal law protection of victims of gender-based violence is not effective enough, which is why it is necessary to improve the legal framework and mechanisms, but also to strengthen institutions so that victims gain confidence and a sense of security when reporting violence. This was announced at the round table "Towards a more effective judicial response: Criminal legal protection of victims of gender-based violence", which we organized as part of the project "Enhancing Judicial Mechanis

CeMI is looking for interns through the Vocational Training Program for persons with higher education, which was launched by the Employment Agency of Montenegro. This is an opportunity to gain practical experience and develop skills for your future career in our organization. Electronic registration through the eGovernment portal will remain open until November 18, 2024, at 2:00 p.m.We are looking for interns from the following fields: Political SciencePolitical and Administrative Stud

The Centre for Monitoring and Research, a Podgorica-based NGO, in collaboration with the Media Trade Union NGO, is implementing a project titled „Open Trials Project: Monitoring of Organised Crime and High-level Corruption Trials in Montenegro“, funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands through the MATRA program. The project will last 32 months, from August 1, 2024, to March 31, 2027, with trial monitoring taking place continuously for 20 months. General information: One

🎥 The video presents the key rights that members of minority communities have in criminal proceedings. Learn about the basic rights to a fair trial, liberty and security, as well as the right to use your own language in court. Inform how laws and international documents protect your rights and how you can seek legal protection. The video was created as a part of the project „Contribution to the Protection of the Rights of Minorities in Judical Proceedings “, with the support of the Ministry of H

The Centre for Monitoring and Research (CeMI) strongly condemns the draft law on foreign agents, which was proposed today by the coalition for the future of Montenegro. We believe that this bill is part of a deliberate strategy aimed at weakening the non-governmental sector, which is one of the key defenses against corruption and abuse of power. This is also the first step towards narrowing and stifling basic civil rights and freedoms."Those who follow international political events more closely