There are various perspectives on the involvement of civil society organizations in policymaking. One viewpoint posits the concept of social capital, suggesting that these organizations exert influence indirectly through collective action, fostered by horizontal connections and social trust. Another perspective emphasizes social responsibility, underscoring the direct engagement of civil society organizations in enhancing citizen participation and monitoring the operations of state institutions, thus fostering greater social responsibility among them. A third standpoint advocates for state institutions to regard the civil sector as a supplementary or even alternative arm of government, owing to its agility in addressing citizen needs.

In this proposal, we adopt the approach of social responsibility, encompassing a broad spectrum of activities and mechanisms that citizens, organizations, and communities can employ to foster and uphold the social responsibility of state officials and employees. We focus on initiatives undertaken by civil society to monitor anti-corruption policies and propose viable alternatives aimed at enhancing social responsibility and mitigating corrupt practices. Notably, civil society is widely acknowledged by citizens as the most effective actor in combating corruption. While 34% of citizens perceive NGOs as successful in this endeavor and 29% attribute success to the media, only 16% and 18% respectively view the State Prosecutor's Office and the Police Directorate as successful in combating corruption.

Given citizens' trust in the role of the civil sector in anti-corruption efforts and the significance of combating corruption for Montenegro's European integration process, our investigation delves into the prerequisites for civil society's participation in shaping anti-corruption policies, assesses the tangible outcomes of such participation, and outlines measures to optimize the positive impacts of civil sector engagement in this realm.