„Disciplinary responsibility is not an internal matter of the prosecution and does not only concern the interests of the prosecutor and the Prosecutorial Council. It is a matter of public interest, closely related to the transparency, accountability and quality of justice, and inseparable from the principle that justice is a sovereign state power that is exercised on behalf of citizens to ensure the rule of law”. This was one of the key messages voiced by the Supreme State Prosecutor, Milorad Marković, at the round table on “Ethics, integrity and disciplinary liability of State Prosecutors in Montenegro”, which was organised under the action „ Strengthening accountability of the judicial system and enhancing protection of victims’ rights in Montenegro”, in co-operation with the Association of State Prosecutors of Montenegro and Judicial Training Centre.
“When we speak about ethics in the state prosecution service, and in the entire judiciary, we should understand that the ethics and morals we attach to ourselves personally cannot be separated from the function we perform”, said Marković.
The Head of the Council of Europe Programme Office in Podgorica, Lejla Dervišagić, noted that the discussion on this topic is very important for the ongoing prosecutorial reform. “The rationale behind is to facilitate better work of these bodies, in line with Council of Europe standards of prosecutorial conduct and ethics, and to promote how much these standards are important for the protection and well-being of citizens”, Dervišagić said.
The Head of the European integration, political, press and information section at the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro, Riccardo Serri, noted that consultations with the Venice Commission regarding the amendments to the Law on State Prosecution Office are under way. The amendments should introduce new elements into the ethical and disciplinary framework for prosecutors, in line with European standards. “The Prosecution Office is one of the key institutions for establishing stability in the legal order and regaining citizens' trust in the rule of law”, Serri concluded.
“The ethics of state prosecutors is an important topic, not only for the EU accession process, but also for strengthening prosecutor's professional values and carriers, by reforming the system of performance evaluation, promotion, accountability and integrity, said the president of the Association of State Prosecutors of Montenegro, Jelena Đaletić. She expressed her belief that the prosecution service will demonstrate, through an accountable, independent, and professional work, that the function performed by prosecutors deserves the respect of the citizens of Montenegro.
The round table was organised within the framework of the joint European Union and the Council of Europe Programme, Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye.