The role of whistleblowers is crucial in uncovering corruption and protecting the public interest. The transposition of the EU Directive 2019/1937 on the protection of whistleblowers into the legal system of Montenegro represents an important step towards improving the protection of whistleblowers and strengthening the integrity of institutions. The role of whistleblowers in society, as well as the transposition into the legal system of Montenegro of EU Directive 2019/1937 on the protection of whistleblowers.
As stated in the announcement of the Civic Alliance, the event was organized by the Civic Alliance in cooperation with the Center for the Study of Democracy and Governance from Albania, as well as the Coalition for the Protection of Whistleblowers in Southeast Europe, with the support of NED (National Endowment for Democracy) from the United States of America.
"The meeting represents a platform for discussion on common challenges, strategies and solutions to improve the protection of whistleblowers, as well as how to best use the resources of the Coalition. The event brought together members of the Coalition, representatives of state institutions in Montenegro, as well as other key figures from civil society, such as prominent whistleblowers in Montenegro and civil society activists who make a great contribution in the field of whistle-blowing and the fight against corruption. In addition to participants from Montenegro, the event was attended by representatives of civil society organizations from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Moldova, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Slovakia," said the Citizens' Alliance.
Mr. Riccardo Seri, deputy head of the European Union Delegation in Montenegro, Nikola Naumovski, anti-corruption advisor in the Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative (RAI), Pavle Ćupić on behalf of the Civic Alliance and Arjan Dirmiši on behalf of the Coalition for the Protection of Whistleblowers in the Southeast spoke in the introductory part. Europe. "Speakers emphasized the importance of whistleblowers in the fight against corruption".
"Arjan Dirmiši pointed out that the activities and efforts of the Coalition led to significant impacts, from legislative activities such as advocating or supporting the adoption of new laws on whistleblower protection, monitoring the implementation of legislation and policies on whistleblowers, to direct support to individuals, researching cases and promoting public support for this activities as a tool in the fight against corruption, etc.," announced the Citizens' Alliance.
They say that Riccardo Seri pointed out the importance of the process of accession of Montenegro to the European Union and that now is a good time to discuss anti-corruption, where the cooperation of NGOs at different levels with the EU is of great importance.
They add that he also pointed out that the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption must review the reports of citizens who report corruption, but that the main drawback is that it cannot initiate court proceedings regarding them.
"If we do not have harmonization with EU policies in these areas, then we cannot move forward with the negotiation process" - concluded the deputy head of the DEU in Montenegro.
In the announcement, they said that Nikola Naumovski emphasizes that the fight against corruption includes a series of preventive and corrective measures, but that reporting it represents the expression of freedom of expression, as one of the fundamental human rights, which is key to the rule of law, "because most serious corruption crimes are discovered through whistleblower reports".
"In the end, Pavle Ćupić referred to the challenges that whistleblowers face and stated that they are often exposed to threats, intimidation and repression by those who are victims of their disclosure of corruption. That is why it is important to create an environment that will support and protect whistleblowers, providing them with adequate legal and institutional support," the announcement reads.
As they say, the participants were also addressed by civil and environmental activist Aleksandar Dragićević, who reminded them that being a whistleblower before 2020 was impossible.
"If the fates of those people were such that they were punished, they lost their jobs, they were subject to inspections if they were entrepreneurs, all with the aim of preventing freedom of speech. However, after 2020, although freedom of speech was transferred to another level , the same methods were still used, so those who criticize the state are still labeled as its enemies. Through a brief presentation of the path that the civil sector has taken, Aleksandar pointed out positive examples where activism and reporting corruption or improper activities can really lead to justice. In this way, he sent a message that we must not give up the fight for a fairer society and that only through continuous work and action can we achieve justice and the rule of law," said the Citizens' Alliance.
They said that at the meeting they awarded prizes to those who contributed to freedom of speech through their actions.
"Awards were presented to Aleksandar Dragićević, civic and environmental activist, and Vuk Vujisić, journalist and environmental activist, for their outstanding contribution to the fight against corruption in the field of environmental protection. Through dedicated and persistent long-term work, commitment and persistence, they left a significant mark and convinced us that with dedicated action, progress can be made in the fight for justice and the rule of law," the statement said.
They said that, in addition, the award for outstanding contribution in the field of environmental protection was awarded to the Center for Research and Study of Birds, which through their activism also contributes immensely to the improvement of our environment, thus creating conditions for a better and better future.
"The awards were presented by Milan Radović, program director of the Civic Alliance, and Mark Worth, co-coordinator of the Coalition," said the Civic Alliance.
They further pointed out that a special part was dedicated to the transposition of the EU Directive 2019/1937 on the protection of whistleblowers, as well as what are the challenges and opportunities for Montenegro.
According to them, the general director of the Directorate for Criminal and Civil Legislation in the Ministry of Justice, Jelena Grdinić, who is also working on amendments to the Law on Prevention of Corruption, gave her opinion.
It is emphasized that she stated that it is necessary to improve the norms within the existing normative framework "because it is necessary to improve the position of whistleblowers in Montenegro".
"The President of the Anti-corruption Committee, Jevto Eraković, spoke from the point of view of the work body of the Parliament of Montenegro and its competences as the parent committee that will consider and adopt amendments to the Law on the Prevention of Corruption. As he states, a general social environment must be created where whistleblowers would assert themselves and were protected in society. He also pointed out that we must separate those brave with civic responsibility from those conflicted individuals who in this way find mechanisms to justify their ignorance, i.e. that we need to recognize the socially responsible from the tenacious people," the announcement reads.
The presentation of the representative of the Ombudsperson institution, Dina Knežević, they say spoke about this topic, looking at it in the context of respect for human rights and freedoms.
"She stated that the Institution of the Ombudsman, acting on numerous complaints, implemented the international standards of the Council of Europe and the European Union, with which national legislation is not fully harmonized. Here, the role of the Institution of the Protector is reflected in providing support to national institutions by giving opinions and initiatives to change the legislation. She concluded that for reasons of victimization it is necessary to provide a better standard to whistleblowers," they add.
Also in the announcement, they pointed out that at the event, the "Free Speech Award" was also awarded to prominent individuals and organizations who, as they say, through their dedicated work and engagement, contributed to the reduction of corruption or the improvement of the situation in a certain area.
At the end of the announcement, they presented the main conclusions of the meeting.
"Since Montenegro is a candidate for membership in the European Union, the fight against corruption is a basic priority for Montenegro. It is necessary to continue the strong engagement of all relevant actors in this area in order to achieve a transparent and responsible society", is one of the conclusions.
In addition to the above conclusion, the importance of strengthening the capacity of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption in the detection, investigation and processing of corruption cases has been recognized. "It is necessary to ensure the independence, efficiency and adequate resources of this institution in order to achieve progress in the fight against corruption," said the Citizens' Alliance.
Also one of the conclusions is that the Law on Prevention of Corruption needs to be amended in order to improve efficiency and compliance with European Union standards and recommendations of international organizations. "A comprehensive approach to the legislative framework is key to preserving the integrity and effectiveness of the fight against corruption."
"Numerous challenges have been identified in the process of transposing the EU directive on whistleblower protection, including the need to strengthen institutional capacities, ensure effective application of regulations and raise public awareness of the importance of whistleblower protection. At the same time, there is great potential for improving the integrity and efficiency of the fight against corruption through harmonization with international standards," is the last of the conclusions of the Coalition for the Protection of Whistleblowers in Southeast Europe.
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