Martinović on the possible abolition of the court in Kolašin: the Ministry and the Judicial Council not to cause immeasurable damage

The President of the Municipality of Kolašin, Vladimir Martinović, expressed "serious concern regarding the possible abolition of the Basic Court in that city, as a result of the Plan for the rationalization of the judicial network".

He appealed to the Ministry of Justice and the Judicial Council to carefully consider the situation and "not to cause immeasurable damage to Kolašin with the rationalization plan, by abolishing such an important institution".

Martinović said that the Basic Court "is an institution of crucial importance for the city and necessary for the proper functioning of the judiciary in Kolašin".

"Abolishing the court would mean that the citizens of our municipality will face additional costs and unnecessary trips to access justice. This would also mean a greater burden on the courts in neighboring municipalities, which would lead to their overload and slow access to exercising their rights. Also, when considering this Plan, those who have dedicated their working lives to work in these institutions must also be taken into account," said the President of the Municipality of Kolašin.

He claims that the abolition of the court would inevitably lead to the abolition of the Basic State Prosecutor's Office (ODT) in Kolašin, which, according to him, is certainly not a good message in the fight against corruption and crime.

"Therefore, I appeal to you to carefully consider this decision and understand that the preservation of the Basic Court in Kolašin is of vital importance for my fellow citizens. I ask that this institution not be collateral damage of rationalization, but that you make efforts to improve its work and efficiency. Also, I want to emphasize that the Basic Court in Kolašin is one of the courts with a great tradition in our country. This court played a key role in protecting the rights of citizens and fighting for justice in this part of Montenegro. The fact that it was one of the first district courts in pre-war Montenegro," Martinović assessed.

For this reason, he said, the eventual elimination of the Basic Court from the judicial network, apart from a great loss for Kolašin, its history and cultural heritage, would also represent a kind of reckoning with the Montenegrin legal tradition, which should be an indispensable factor when considering this decision.

Martinović says that he is sure that no one wants to do that.

The President of the Municipality of Kolašin is convinced that "with joint efforts and understanding for the needs of the citizens of Kolašin, the best solution for everyone can be found", and that, he assessed, "is by no means the abolition of the court".