OSCE Mission to Montenegro, Justice Ministry present draft amendments to the Criminal Code
Draft amendments to the Montenegrin Criminal Code were presented to representatives of relevant institutions at a roundtable discussion held on 10 December 2012 in Podgorica.
The event, organized as part of the OSCE’s continuing support for the reform of criminal legislation, gathered representatives of the Justice Ministry, the courts, prosecution offices, the Bar Association, the customs service, non-governmental organizations and the police.
The Head of the OSCE Mission, Ambassador Lubomir Kopaj, said at the opening of the event: “By holding today’s event, we once again demonstrate our commitment to assist the Government in pursuing our shared goal of bringing the Montenegrin justice system into line with the highest international and European standards and best practices.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Dusko Markovic said: “Although the effective fight against crime depends, to a large extent, on enforcement, good criminal legislation is a necessary precondition for it, and the amended Criminal Code, in addition to containing a number of modern provisions, is meant to make it possible to combat crime more efficiently, while, at the same time, observing all rule-of-law principles.”
The event is part of the OSCE Mission’s work to support judicial reform in Montenegro, following the signing of a renewed memorandum of understanding in December 2011 between the Mission and the Justice Ministry.