Montenegro should establish procedures for quick and safe identification of victims of human trafficking, protect them from intimidation and threats, additionally train judges, prosecutors and police and provide experienced lawyers.
This was announced at a round table organized by the Montenegrin Women's Lobby as part of the project "Improving prevention and protection against human trafficking and sexual exploitation", PR Center reports.
The coordinator of the project, expert and social worker, Vasilisa Danilović, said that the goal of the project is to raise the awareness of women and girls, potential victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation, about the possible risks of becoming victims.
She pointed out that as part of the project, they conducted a survey on the perception of human trafficking in Montenegro, which was conducted on a sample of 1002 adult respondents in 21 Montenegrin municipalities.
"The largest number of respondents, 76 percent of them, believe that sexual exploitation is a form of human trafficking, while more than 90 percent believe that human trafficking is present in Montenegro," Danilović said.
Also, as she added, 37 percent of respondents believe that labor exploitation is very common.
Danilović said that almost half believe that the trade in human organs is the worst form of trade, while every seventh interlocutor points out that it is arranged child marriages.
"When it comes to the differences between prostitution and exploitation, the female respondents claim that there is a difference, and two thirds believe that these are the same phenomena," said Danilović.
As she stated, more than 70 percent of respondents would inform the police if they came into contact with a victim of human trafficking.
"7,9 percent point out that they would turn to non-governmental organizations, and 7,4 percent to Centers for Social Work," Danilović added.
She said that only 4,3 percent of the respondents were familiar with the indicators by which potential victims of human trafficking can be recognized.
The executive director of the Montenegrin Women's Lobby (CŽL), Aida Petrović, noted that according to all statistics, women and children are the most vulnerable groups.
"Unfortunately, the situation is generally difficult throughout the world and the number of victims of human trafficking has increased," Petrović said.
Therefore, as she pointed out, the goal of the project is to increase awareness in society and institutions about the phenomenon of violence against women through forms of trafficking, sexual and labor exploitation.
Petrović said that in order to solve this problem, the cooperation of the institutions of the system is necessary.
"Montenegro is in a political crisis, and now we are in a situation where when we contact the competent institutions via e-mail or contact numbers, we do not get a response. Our only conclusion is that they are not interested in this topic," concluded Petrović.
Daliborka Spasojević, independent adviser of the Department for the fight against human trafficking in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, speaking about the Government's mechanisms in the fight against human trafficking, said that Montenegro has ratified all the inter-Nordic conventions in that area.
She noted that in recent years, strategies for the fight against human trafficking have been adopted, agreements on mutual cooperation have been signed with several countries in the region, a Team for the formal identification of victims has been formed, as well as an Operational Team consisting of the Ministry of Interior, the Police Directorate, the Higher State Prosecutor's Office and Ministry of Justice.
In the period from January 1, 2019 to October 1, 2022, the Police Administration filed 21 criminal charges for human trafficking against 29 persons
"During the same period, state prosecutors filed 13 indictments against 23 people, and the courts handed down four verdicts, and five people were sentenced to prison," said Spasojević.
The President of the International Police Organization of Montenegro, Ivan Pekić, said that they are at the disposal of the non-governmental sector and added that he regrets that there is no one from the Police Administration or the Ministry of Interior to open today's event.
"That's what we have in Montenegro - a problem that's holding us back. People who are in positions seem to forget that we pay them and that this position is temporary", Pekić pointed out.
He said that Montenegrin society and institutions should change and that political attitudes should be ignored when such problems are in question.
Mediator and social worker who is engaged in projects of the Roma Council, Šejla Pepić, said that the problems Roma women face are early marriage, child arranged marriage, and early termination of primary education.
She said that data from certain research shows that every third girl from the Roma or Egyptian community, aged 15 to 19, has entered into marriage or cohabitation, while every one of her peers has done the same.
"I am of the opinion that arranged marriage does not represent either Romani or Egyptian tradition, but that this practice has been manifested for centuries as a custom that is passed down from generation to generation," believes Pepić.
She pointed out that the institutions themselves did not listen enough to the demands of the Roma population, which, she added, are of crucial importance for the better integration of the Roma in Montenegro.
"As a society, we are not yet aware of the problems faced by the Roma community, and I believe that if the state, institutions, and relevant ministries do not make efforts to solve the problem, we will only create a society of unequal chances and opportunities," concluded Pepić.
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