The United Kingdom (UK) does not tell countries which individuals should be included in their governments and will cooperate with any government chosen by the citizens of Montenegro, said the British ambassador in Podgorica. Don McCann.
She is the first ambassador of the countries of the "quintet" (the United States of America, France, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom) to meet with the President of the Assembly Andrija Mandić, who is also one of the leaders of the coalition For the Future of Montenegro. Mandić took office as the President of the Assembly on October 30, and McKen met with him on December 21.
The countries of the "quintet" criticized the entry of ZBCG into power, saying that their partners can be governments with which they share the same values.
McCann said in an interview with "Vijesta" that the United Kingdom respects the democratic process of Montenegro.
She also said that there are encouraging signs of progress in the fight against corruption in Montenegro, and a stronger commitment to the fight against organized crime is visible.
The UK, as she said, welcomes the publicly expressed commitment of the new Government to progress in its key priorities related to EU accession and NATO membership, the improvement of the Montenegrin economy and the fight against serious and organized crime and corruption.
"The next key step for the government will be to implement it," McCann said.
You met with the President of the Assembly Andrijo Mandić, one of the leaders of the coalition For the Future of Montenegro, whose entry into power was criticized by the officials of your country. Does this mean that some kind of cooperation with Mandić and the coalition for the future of Montenegro has begun?
We have always had a consistent position: the United Kingdom respects the democratic process of Montenegro and the UK cooperates with states, not governments. The UK does not tell countries which individuals should be included in their governments, and we will cooperate with any government here that is elected by the citizens of Montenegro. The extent to which the UK engages with the government depends on the extent of our shared interests and values. It is clear that it is easier to cooperate well with governments with which we share a common language, common goals and common values. The United Kingdom cooperates well with the Montenegrin Parliament and my meeting with the President of the Parliament was a natural result of this relationship.
Since you assumed the position of Ambassador to Montenegro, you have had meetings with the Prime Minister and several ministers from the new Government of Montenegro. After those meetings, are you convinced that the new government can implement the necessary reforms, especially in the area of the rule of law? To what extent do this Government and its constituents share the values of the United Kingdom?
We welcome the publicly expressed commitment of the new Government to progress in its key priorities related to EU accession and NATO membership, the improvement of the Montenegrin economy and the fight against serious and organized crime and corruption. The next key step for the government will be to implement this. We look forward to clear progress in the necessary reforms in 2024 and will continue to work with your Government to support it in achieving this progress. The United Kingdom and Montenegro are allies in NATO and that connects us. We respect Montenegro's aspirations to join the European Union without delay, and our shared commitment to European values and principles forms the basis for strong relations between the United Kingdom and Montenegro.
Is the election of members of the Judicial Council and the seventh judge of the Constitutional Court a significant move in that direction? Do you expect that the Assembly will soon elect the Supreme State Prosecutor?
We welcome the recent appointments to the Judicial Council and the Constitutional Court and see them as positive steps towards a more efficient and independent judiciary in Montenegro. These appointments are also a response to the demands of Montenegrin citizens for a stronger rule of law in this country. We believe that a strong judiciary, a judiciary that operates efficiently, transparently and independently, is of key importance for the rule of law that the citizens of Montenegro deserve. As for the election of the Supreme State Prosecutor, the responsibility rests with the Montenegrin Parliament, which should reach a constructive consensus, although we believe that an earlier appointment would be beneficial for Montenegro. This appointment is in line with the Government's broader goals of strengthening the rule of law in Montenegro and meeting the expectations of Montenegrin citizens.
In the latest report of the European Commission, as in previous ones, the situation in the Montenegrin judiciary was criticized. What do you think why these criticisms are repeated and why the independence of the Montenegrin judiciary is still questionable? Would vetting be a good solution?
The repeated criticisms in the reports of the European Commission probably stem from the fact that the fundamental issues that caused criticism in those earlier reports have not yet been resolved. The key to removing the question of the independence of the Montenegrin judiciary is actually to make the judiciary more independent. This is a logical step towards solving these problems. As for the vetting, the decision is up to the Montenegrin authorities. Reviewing the experiences of other countries could provide valuable insight into the implementation of key rule of law reforms. But also generally speaking, relying on lessons learned elsewhere in judicial reform would be valuable in the process of making informed decisions in Montenegro.
One of the criticisms that has been repeated for years is that Montenegro has a problem with corruption. Are you seeing any developments in that area?
Corruption in Montenegro has been criticized for a long time. There are also some encouraging signs of progress. The work of the chief special prosecutor, especially in dealing with cases of special importance, serves as a visible and striking indicator of the country's commitment to the implementation of the rule of law. This not only addresses concerns about corruption, but also instills public confidence that decisive action is being taken. However, it is clear that more needs to be done to reduce criticism and restore trust. The UK supports the efforts of the Chief Special Prosecutor and this reflects our shared commitment to the fight against corruption. We will continue to work with Montenegro in the continuation of solving the issue of corruption and achieving even more tangible results in the future. We want a cooperative approach that helps our common goals of preserving the rule of law and fostering a transparent and accountable environment in Montenegro.
Are you satisfied with the cooperation with the Montenegrin police and the prosecutor's office, were there any "noises" or possible obstructions in the sense that the Montenegrin authorities did not process some findings of colleagues from the United Kingdom?
The UK works very closely with the Montenegrin police and border police and has an excellent working relationship with the Office of the Chief Special Prosecutor. The UK has developed capacity and capability within the police and border police which has resulted in positive operational outcomes including arrests, seizures of firearms, identification and arrests of online offenders sharing indecent images of children and high profile arrests linked to international criminal groups for drug trade based in Montenegro. We will continue to cooperate closely with Montenegro in the fight against serious and organized crime. The UK is particularly focused on the development of specialized capacities for law enforcement in Montenegro in order to systematically identify and monitor suspicious activities in all forms of transport in advance. We are working with Montenegro to create long-term strategies that will enable the interception of illegal goods, human smuggling, human trafficking and individuals of interest, as well as support for the border police and the Montenegrin police to exchange information and secure their borders.
Recently, the US blacklisted Montenegrin businessmen Miodrag Daka Davidović and Branislav Bran Mićunović. The United Kingdom has a similar list. Would it soon be possible to find a Montenegrin citizen (who)?
The UK Government considers all potential persons of interest, guided by the evidence and objectives of the relevant sanctions regime and our wider foreign policy objectives. However, it is not appropriate to speculate about who would be on such a list in the future.
We are open to support vital projects in infrastructure and energy
Are you satisfied with the economic cooperation between the United Kingdom and Montenegro? Where do you see room for expanding cooperation?
With the confirmation of good progress in trade cooperation so far, there is certainly potential for joint growth. British companies possess valuable expertise in various fields, and efforts are underway to identify where this expertise can significantly benefit the Montenegrin economy. The United Kingdom has recently extended support through UK Export Finance (UKEF), the UK's export credit agency. In a practical sense, this means that we are open to supporting the implementation of vital projects in infrastructure and energy, worth up to 800 million euros, which is UKEF's current appetite for Montenegro. I believe this is an excellent tool for strengthening our cooperation and jointly improving infrastructure and energy resilience.
The results against organized crime are only the beginning of the fight
The United Kingdom provides support to Montenegro in the fight against cigarette smuggling. Are you satisfied with the results achieved by Montenegro in that field, and in general in the fight against organized crime?
The fight against cigarette smuggling and organized crime is something that Montenegro will have to work on as long as it takes. Smuggling and organized crime eat away at the land for the benefit of the few, while depriving the many of their benefits, and are problems that are rarely fully resolved. Organized crime groups are adaptable, so it's rare for a country to say, "Okay, we're done with it," because there's always room to fight. However, there is also a good side: we see a stronger commitment of Montenegro to the fight against organized crime. We've seen real effort and we've seen some tangible results, but this is just the beginning. Think of this effort as a growing plant. She's not fully grown yet, but you can see her getting taller and stronger. We want that plant to keep growing. In order to ensure this, the efforts of Montenegro must be continued and strengthened. The UK will continue to work with Montenegro and support the authorities in these efforts.
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