The Anti-corruption Agency and NGO Centre for Civic Education (CCE) signed Memorandum of Cooperation which aims to further improve and strengthen cooperation through joint preventive action in fight against corruption. Memorandum was signed by Director of the Agency, Sreten Radonjić, and Executive director of the CCE, Daliborka Uljarević.

Memorandum prescribes joint activities in the field of prevention of corruption which will be, amongst other, implemented in areas of strengthening the level of public ethics, integrity, transparency and public control over performing public duties and authorities, control over acting and financing of political entities and electoral campaigns, protection of whistleblowers, control of lobbying, prevention of conflict of interest in performing public duties, education and research on corruption, etc. »

Ministry of Education, Ministry of Sports, Office for European Integration, Television Vijesti and Centre for Civic Education (CCE), signed Memorandum of Cooperation for implementation of project How well do you know the European Union?

The project How well do you know the European Union? has in its focus production of quiz for high school students that will be broadcast on TV Vijesti. Through that interactive and creative form, it will contribute to the improvement of interest, information and knowledge of high school students about the EU, its functioning and public policies, accession conditions, as well as culture, economy, natural beauties and contents offered by the EU. Furthermore, the project contributes to the strategies and existing efforts of the Government of Montenegro, the European Commission and civil society in raising awareness about the importance of European integration of Montenegro. The target group are high school students, aged 16 to 18, from 21 out of 24 Montenegrin municipalities, who are ready to learn about the EU and to promote Europeanisation in Montenegro. The CCE had previously worked with different partners in two series of this quiz, in 2014 and 2017, and the experience points to the need for continuation of the project. »

Reaction of Coalition KUM to the draft Law on Local Self-Governments Financing

Coalition for transparency and fight against corruption at the local level (KUM) commends decision of the Government of Montenegro to finally systematically deal with local finances via new Law on Local Self-Government Financing, but warns that the draft that is currently up for a public discussion will not significantly improve the level of transparency and responsibility of municipalities towards citizens’ money.

Namely, the draft Law has remedial nature that reflects in transferring a part of revenues to municipalities. However, it does not deal with substantial problems that prevent financial stability of municipalities: irrational spending and problems on expenditure side.

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Centre for Civic Education (CCE) expresses concern over decision of Government of Montenegro to place the Agency for Electronic Media (AEM), an independent regulator for electronic media which exercises public jurisdiction in accordance with the Law on Electronic Media and operates in the public interest, under its direct control, as it was defined by new proposal of Law on State Administration.

At the session of the Government of Montenegro from 20/9/2018 a proposal of the Law on State Administration was determined by which in the Article 43, for the first time are introduced State agencies and it is prescribed that they are directly responsible for their work to the Government of Montenegro, while the Article 44 enhances this by determining that the Government elects and dismisses members of councils of state agencies. We support the systemic approach of regulation of state administration, which certainly opens up a space for greater level of coordination over the already existing agencies. However, AEM due to its importance, role and position in the system must not be treated in this manner and put in the same rank with the other agencies. Additionally, this solution is in contradiction with the principles of functioning of regulators in the media, and also the EU Directive on Audio-visual Media Services (AVMSD) which is due to be adopted soon, and which Montenegro is obliged to assume and apply, as a part of its regular obligations within the negotiation process. »

Centre for Civic Education (CCE) and Coalition for RECOM have organised today, on the occasion of International Day of Peace, a debate under topic Dialogue and reconciliation – where are we now in the region?.

On this occasion, Daliborka Uljarevic, CCE Executive Director, assessed that ‘wars waged on the territory of former Yugoslavia in 90-is do not have winners and losers as an outcome, each of the sides has their own certain truth about those wars, and political expressions even today suffer more or less from consequences of these conflicts.’ She reminded also that Initiative for RECOM in Montenegro had a continuous political support. ‘This support to RECOM from the highest political level in Montenegro is a serious capital which should be further valorised, since in the contrary it will not value much. In this regard, I believe that Montenegro can and should take up an even more proactive role in the region especially taking into consideration its good positioning among neighbours and the fact that this an issue which goes beyond the borders of solely one political and social structure, that this is an issue which exceeds particular interests. It is indisputably a public interest both of Montenegro, and the region as well, to establish the RECOM’, concluded Uljarevic.

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