Joint Programme

Horizontal Facility

Montenegro has taken an important step forward in strengthening the integrity, professionalism, and accountability of its justice system. The new Codes of Ethics for Judges and Prosecutors have been officially adopted, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to build a more transparent and trustworthy judiciary.

The adoption of the new codes ensures a clearer and more modern ethical framework for judges and prosecutors, aligned with European standards. These documents reaffirm the key values of independence, impartiality, responsibility, and integrity, which are at the core of a fair and efficient justice system.

This achievement was supported under the EU–Council of Europe joint Programme Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye under the action Strengthening accountability of the judicial system and enhancing protection of victims' rights in Montenegro, which focuses on enhancing judicial independence and professionalism. Within this framework, work is already underway to develop practical guidelines that will help judges and prosecutors apply the ethical principles in their daily work and address citizens’ complaints. The guidelines will also provide examples of best practices and potential practical ethical challenges.

The adoption of these codes represents not only progress in promoting professional ethics but also an important contribution to Montenegro’s EU accession process, as it strengthens the rule of law and public trust in justice institutions.