Most citizens believe that prosecutors are prone to corruption

More than 96 percent of respondents agree with the view that organized crime is a problem in Montenegro, while 94,7 of them say the same about corruption.

This is shown by the results of the survey "Perception of the State Prosecutor's Office in Montenegro", which was conducted by the specialized research agency "Defacto" for the needs of the Organization for European Security and Cooperation (OSCE).

"Cumulatively, 94,7% of respondents agree with the view that corruption is a problem in Montenegro, and 96,3% say the same about organized crime... Compared to the results of previous waves, we see that the number of male and female respondents is increasing who consider corruption and organized crime to be a problem", the text states.

The number of respondents who believe that the Prosecutor's Office is successfully fighting corruption is in a slight decline, compared to last year's survey.

"Cumulatively, 41,2% of the respondents believe that the Prosecutor's Office is successfully fighting this phenomenon, while slightly more than half of the respondents (54,6%) claim the opposite".

According to the survey, cumulatively, most citizens believe that most prosecutors are susceptible to corruption. This is how they answered questions about the number of prosecutors involved in corrupt activities.

"Slightly more than a quarter (26,1%) believe that most prosecutors are susceptible to corruption, almost one third (32,2%) believe that a certain number are susceptible... The older the respondent, the more they believe that the majority prosecutors subject to corruption", the text added.

Trust in SDT and Novović

Special State Prosecutor's Office (SDT) and the head of that institution Vladimir Novović they have the highest public trust, according to the survey.

"The majority of respondents support the work of the chief special prosecutor Vladimir Novović (54,8%), which is an increase compared to the previous year (2022 - 44,1%)... The greatest trust among citizens is enjoyed by the Special State Prosecutor's Office, which to some extent or in fully believed by 55,1% of respondents (in 2022 - 42,7%). Almost half (49,6%) of respondents fully or somewhat trust the Supreme State Prosecutor's Office (in 2022 - 42,6%). The Higher State Prosecutor's Office in Podgorica is somewhat or completely trusted by 46,6% of respondents (in 2022 - 38,2%), in the Higher State Prosecutor's Office in Bijelo Polje by 41,4% (in 2022 - 34,3%) while 45,6% of respondents fully or somewhat believe in the basic state prosecutor's offices (in 2022 - 39,6%)", says the survey.

The results from this wave of research, the text adds, show that almost one third of respondents (32,5%) have a very positive or somewhat positive general attitude towards the State Prosecutor's Office, while slightly more than one third state that they have a somewhat negative or very negative attitude (36%).

"When we compare the data over the years, a trend can be applied that indicates a decrease in the number of respondents who have a very positive or somewhat positive general attitude towards the State Prosecutor's Office: 2020, (52,6%), 2021, (40,2%), 2022, (44,5%) and 2023 (32,5%)".

The authors remind that general attitudes about the State Prosecutor's Office represent a key aspect of the judicial system and reflect deep social and political dynamics within the country.

The State Prosecutor's Office, he writes, has a key role in achieving justice, fighting crime and preserving the rule of law, which is why the attitudes of citizens, institutions and political actors towards that body affect its efficiency, transparency and integrity.

Inform citizens about positive changes

Based on the aforementioned research findings, the authors recommend strengthening the fight against corruption, independence and professionalism in work, transparency and information of citizens, as well as better cooperation with civil society.

"Given the high percentage of citizens who believe that corruption is a problem in Montenegro, the State Prosecutor's Office should intensify its efforts in the fight against corruption. This includes efficient processing of corruption cases, cooperation with relevant institutions and active participation in corruption prevention. The Prosecutor's Office can try to emphasize positive changes in this domain in its presentations, to try to present the situation to the citizens as it was before and as it is now, so that the focus would really be on positive changes. Hiring experts who can help in formulating such PR messages could significantly contribute to the growth of trust in the State Prosecutor's Office," the recommendation regarding the fight against corruption states.