The material situation in the judiciary is unenviable, but so is the position in terms of infrastructure, said Minister of Justice Bojan Božović.
He said that they have started talks with the representatives of the judicial authorities and that he hopes that "a solution will be found that will be good", and that it is not just a problem in earnings.
Independent member of parliament Radinka Ćinćur reminded, at today's session of the Assembly, that recently the judges of the High Court, who are in charge of organized crime and corruption, warned the members of parliament and the public about the "alarming situation" in their work due to insufficient resources and the growing number of pending cases.
"With this, they made it clear to everyone that Montenegro will have difficulties in fulfilling the criteria from the negotiation chapters without urgent reforms in the judiciary. We recently received the same warning from the SE: reforms in the judiciary have almost not even started, cases are piling up, proceedings are unexpectedly long What is the plan of the Ministry of Justice to fix this situation as soon as possible?", asked Božovića.
Ćinćur also referred to salaries in the judiciary, as well as the threat of a strike in that department.
Božović replied that the material situation in the judiciary is unenviable, but so is the position in terms of infrastructure.
"We have started talks with the representatives of the judicial authorities and I hope that we will find a solution that will be good. It is not just a problem in earnings. We are continuing the talks. The people from the prosecutor's office reacted equally with understanding. They understand all the problems. I would like to mention that the last building was built intended for the court in 1988," he pointed out.
Ćinćur also referred to the Law on Criminal Procedure and asked why there is no legal possibility to monitor returnees in crimes, recalling the case of white-haired Alija Balijagić, who is suspected of a double murder near Bijeli Polje.
Božović replied that the ministry spoke with the family of the boy wounded in the courtyard of the Gymnasium in Bar, and that in the matter of femicide, Montenegro does not sanction the perpetrators of the crime.
About the financing of religious schools
DPS Member of Parliament Zoja Bojanić Lalović said that in the proposal on amendments to the Law on the Budget for 2024, the Government allocated 1.700.000 euros for the financing of religious schools without any explanation, and that the funds were diverted from Božović's account department, not the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (MPNI).
"This redistribution was done without any explanation. I would just like to remind you, before asking the question, that in the audit of the financing of religious communities from the budget of Montenegro, almost nine million euros were paid into the accounts of religious communities on several grounds. Of that, for the financing of religious schools, almost five million. Based on the conducted audit, it was determined that the appropriate normative framework was not established that regulates the financing of religious communities from the state budget, but that secondary religious schools were financed in a way that is not in accordance with the law The general law on education. Instead of removing the recommendations, the funds are directed to the account of the Ministry of Justice," she said and asked on the basis of which law Božović's department can finance educational activities, including religious ones.
The Minister of Justice replied that the Law on Freedom of Religion or Belief and the Legal Status of Religious Communities regulates issues of cooperation between the state and religious communities.
"Supervision of the implementation of this law is carried out by the state administration body responsible for judicial affairs, i.e. the Ministry of Justice. By the Law on Amendments to the Law on the Budget of Montenegro for 2024, adopted by the Parliament of Montenegro at its session on September 6, 2024, this obligation is addressed to the Ministry of Justice, bearing in mind the competences of the Ministry of Justice from the aspect of supervision over the Law on Freedom of Religion or Belief and the legal position of religious communities, as well as the competences of the Directorate for Cooperation with Religious Communities, a competent organizational unit that is part of this Ministry. , he said.
As he added, given that the budget year is in progress, and that the activity in question has not yet been implemented, that issue will be considered separately, with the statement of the department responsible for the issue of education, i.e. MPNI.
Bojanić Lalović said that in this way Božović said that he had broken the law, because religious educational institutions were licensed by the National Police Agency, and that it supervises them.
Mugoša: I did not dispute the increase of the minimum wage, but I said that they would be discriminated against
MP Boris Mugoša of the Social Democrats (SD) asked what activities the Ministry of Justice had undertaken regarding the request of interns in courts and state prosecutor's offices for part of their earnings.
"I did not dispute the increase of the minimum wage, but I said that they will be discriminated against," he pointed out.
Božović replied that he was aware of the problems, as well as that he had dried up the representatives of the interns, but also that he had consulted the Ministry of Finance.
"In the period when I finished my studies, it was ideal to continue as an intern within the judiciary and prosecutor's office, but due to the closedness of the system, many did not find a place in them", he pointed out and added that the status of interns is better than before, but that more needs to be done to work.
Mugoša replied that someone cannot have a salary lower than the minimum and work full time.
"I don't see this as a request, but as a necessity. 593 euros is the salary of an intern, and 600 is the minimum," he pointed out.
Božović: Budva is the city where I spent the first ten years of my life, but I know that it is no longer the same place
MP Nađa Laković of the Europe Now Movement (PES) asked whether, considering the growing needs and population, she would consider the possibility of establishing a Basic Court and a Basic State Prosecutor's Office in the municipality of Budva.
Božović replied that he raised the issue at one of the working groups where the rationalization of the court network was discussed.
"Budva is the city where I spent the first ten years of my life, but I know that it is no longer the same place. We have to look at all the circumstances. For us, the Misdemeanor Court in Budva is in TQ Plaza, and one directorate in the Ministry was in the Hilton Hotel." , said the minister and added that it is necessary to act systematically, that is, to build a building aimed at the court.
The priority is to elect the president of the Supreme Court
Novska list MP Jovan Subotić asked what are the further steps he plans to take, after receiving the IBAR, regarding intensifying the activities from chapter 23?
Božović replied that the priority is to elect the president of the Supreme Court, and that the issue should be resolved by the end of the year.
He also added that the continuation of the criminal law reform and digitization is important, but that not everything is in his department.
I will advocate for the court to remain in Danilovgrad
Democrat MP Duško Stjepović asked Božović if he could put an end to the story about the abolition of the Basic Court in Danilovgrad and suspend all related actions and proceedings.
As he explained, Danilovgrad had an increase in the number of inhabitants compared to the 2011 census, as well as that the court in that municipality is "the fourth most efficient in the country".
Božović replied that he will advocate for the court to remain in Danilovgrad, but that he is not the only one who decides.
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