The study “The Work of Responsible State Prosecution and Courts in the Fight Against Corruption at the Local Level” implies an analysis of the legislative framework on corruption in Montenegro, readiness and efficiency of responsible institutions when it comes to facing this problem. This study was made within the project “Let’s put corruption into the museum!”, realized by the Centre for Civic Education in cooperation with the Centre for Monitoring and Research (CeMI), NGO Bonum from Pljevlja, NGO UL-Info from Ulcinj and NGO Za Druga from Petrovac, with associates Ministry of Public Administration and Anti-corruption Agency, and with the financial support of the EU Delegation to Montenegro. Within this project a Memorandum on the forming of a Coalition for transparency and the fight against corruption at the local level, whose goal is to strengthen the transparency and responsibility of the institutions in areas of special risk for such a negative occurrence. The focus of the Coalition is monitoring and improving the existing policy and mechanisms for the fight against corruption at different levels.

In the first part of the Study, the electoral framework is analyzed, the most common and distinctive corruptive criminal acts and the question of how to start a legal proceeding and whom to talk to. In the second part of the Study, the work of responsible state prosecution and courts in the fight against corruption at the local level is concretely analyzed and conclusions and recommendations are given.

The number of cases for the criminal act of corruption that were started in 2017, and earlier, is worryingly small and the non-existence of even the smallest number of cases for the criminal act of bribery is noticeable. It is necessary to notice all the shortcomings and encourage all citizens to report criminal acts but also persistently reminding the responsible subjects that the fight against corruption is their official duty and legal obligation.

Strengthening the awareness and knowledge of the citizens, influencing the court to solve these kinds of cases in shorter proceedings, protect citizens who report criminal acts of corruption, are some of the changes necessary to strengthen the fight against corruption, as it is stated in this Study.

You can download the study “The Work of Responsible State Prosecution and Courts in the Fight Against Corruption at the Local Level” in the Montenegrin language here.