OSCE Mission presents Model Local Action Plan against corruption in Montenegro

Strengthening mechanisms for the fight against corruption on the local level was the topic of an event organized by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, Interior Ministry and the Union of Municipalities on 20 March 2013 in Podgorica.

At the event the Model Local Action Plan for the fight against corruption was presented to representatives of local self-governments. The Action Plan is the result of a project aimed at strengthening mechanisms in the fight against corruption at the local level, which is being implemented by the OSCE Mission in co-operation with the Interior Ministry’s Department of Local Government and the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro.

The Head of the OSCE Mission, Ambassador Lubomir Kopaj said at the opening of the event that the fight against corruption must remain high on Montenegro’s list of priorities, as “no inflow of investments can be expected before corruption has been successfully curbed”.

He reiterated the OSCE’s continued support for Montenegro’s anti-corruption efforts, and said the Model Local Action Plan should serve as a practical tool to facilitate that effort.

Interior Minister Raško Konjević said he hoped that the adoption and implementation of the new model will be a step forward in minimizing the risk of corruption in the municipalities, and praised the OSCE Mission’s continuous assistance in this endeavour, as well as to the country’s progress on its European integration path.

The Chair of the Assembly of the Union of Municipalities and Mayor of Cetinje, Aleksandar Bogdanović added that the increased effectiveness of anti-corruption efforts at the local level would benefit Montenegrin society as a whole.

Implementation of the OSCE project, under which the Model Local Action Plan has been developed, will continue in 2013 with training programmes for municipal anti-corruption teams.