For the past two years, the Bureau for Operational Coordination of Intelligence and Security Sector Bodies (BOK), headed by Deputy Prime Minister Bečić, has continuously warned of serious and systemic weaknesses in the functioning of the judiciary, primarily the failure to issue first-instance judgments within legal deadlines, procedural abuses and inadequate court action in cases of violations of supervision measures. At the same time, it has clearly and publicly pointed out the need for urgent and comprehensive legal amendments in order to prevent abuses and ensure the efficiency of criminal proceedings.
This was announced today by the Secretary General and Head of the Democratic Montenegro (Democrats) MPs' Club, Boris Bogdanović.
According to him, today we are witnessing a worrying phenomenon in which certain representatives of judicial bodies are publicly expressing surprise, precisely in relation to the problems that the BOK systematically and publicly warned about long ago and in a timely manner.
"This is not only an institutional failure, but also confirmation that the warnings were justified and that there was no adequate reaction from those responsible for it. It is particularly problematic that, unfairly but obviously consciously, an attempt is being made to shift the focus of responsibility exclusively to the Police Directorate, even though the essential problems are clearly identified in the inadequate legislative framework and the actions of judicial authorities. Such a narrative does not contribute to solving the problem, but rather creates the illusion of responsibility where it does not essentially lie, while the real causes of security challenges are relativized," Bogdanović pointed out.
He, as he stated, recalls the publicly announced positions of the BOK from the seventh session back in November 2024: "In this regard, the BOK appeals for urgent consideration and adoption of amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code with the aim of increasing the time frame in which an accused person can be detained, but also for comprehensive amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code, as well as other systemic laws, in order to create legislative prerequisites for preventing procedural abuses and conducting efficient and effective court proceedings. The Bureau also emphasized the fact of inadequate action by judicial authorities when violating supervision measures imposed on defendants, which is why, given the current legal regulations, the Bureau insists that through the area of criminal legislation, violation of supervision measures be standardized as a mandatory basis for ordering detention, i.e. in a manner that will include sanctioning the defendant by standardizing violation of prohibition measures as a separate criminal offense."
Also, Bogdanović added, at the eighth session held in early 2025, it was publicly emphasized: "The BOK once again emphasizes that the long duration of court proceedings due to procedural abuses, the failure to issue first-instance judgments within three years, the manner in which judicial authorities act in cases of violations of supervision measures by defendants, as well as the inadequate legislative framework, are the reasons that allow those accused of committing serious crimes to remain at large... and the BOK once again appeals for urgent amendments to all necessary laws in order to address the aforementioned security challenges."
As he said, once again, and for the third time in April of that same year, after its ninth session, the BOK publicly announced: "The Bureau recalls that the failure to issue first-instance judgments within three years, the inefficiency of court processes due to procedural abuses, inadequate action by judicial authorities due to violations of supervision measures, is a kind of security challenge, and once again appeals for urgent amendments to all relevant laws in this area."
These positions, as Bogdanović said, clearly confirm that the problems were recognized in a timely manner and publicly articulated.
"Instead of attempting to shift responsibility, it is necessary to openly acknowledge institutional weaknesses and urgently address them. For the safety of citizens and the integrity of the legal system, we expect responsible action from all competent institutions, primarily judicial ones, without political or institutional distraction from the real causes of the problem," the statement concludes.
Bonus video:
