Pavličić: Citizens' trust can be restored by consistently applying the law and proving that everyone is equal before the law

Institutions are not measured by their ability to function when everything is stable, but rather by their ability to preserve independence, legality, integrity and strengthen public trust when they are exposed to the greatest challenges, said the President of the Supreme Court, Valentina Pavličić.

As announced by the Supreme Court, Pavličić presented Montenegro's experiences in dealing with the challenges that have marked the functioning of institutions and the judicial system in recent years at the Conference of the Network of Presidents of the Supreme Courts of the European Union (EU), which is being held in Limassol, Cyprus.

She emphasized that Montenegro's European path has shown that the rule of law is not a state that is established once and is permanent, but a process that requires continuous institutional commitment, political and legal maturity, as well as mutual respect for the constitutional competences of all branches of government.

Pavličić said that among the biggest challenges were the weakening of institutional trust, prolonged institutional blockades, delays in appointments to key judicial positions, a shortage of judicial staff, as well as corruption proceedings against former holders of high judicial and state positions.

"It is precisely in such circumstances that the strength of an independent and resilient judiciary is confirmed, capable of acting impartially and consistently regardless of political and social divisions and intense public attention," emphasized Pavličić.

Speaking about citizens' trust, Pavličić assessed that it cannot be renewed through declarative messages or exclusively through normative reforms, but rather through consistent application of the law and proving that everyone is equal before the law.

She reminded that the latest results of the European Commission's "Standard Eurobarometer 105" survey confirm the growth of trust among Montenegrin citizens in the national judicial system.

Pavličić emphasized that formal constitutional and legal guarantees of independence are not sufficient in themselves, but that the real independence of the judiciary is reflected in the professional integrity of judges, institutional culture and the willingness of courts to decide exclusively on the basis of law.

She concluded that the rule of law cannot be viewed as a project with a predetermined end, but rather as a permanent obligation of all institutions, especially the courts, whose duty it is to affirm on a daily basis the values ​​on which a democratic society is based.

The Supreme Court said that the conference of the Network of Presidents of the Supreme Courts of the EU brought together the presidents of the highest courts of European countries to exchange experiences and improve cooperation on issues of importance to the independence of the judiciary, the rule of law and strengthening citizens' trust in judicial institutions.

"By participating in this gathering, the President of the Supreme Court of Montenegro confirmed the commitment of the Montenegrin judiciary to European values, strengthening the rule of law and actively contributing to the international dialogue on key challenges facing modern judicial systems," the statement said.