09/03/2012 Monitoring
Strasbourg, 09.03.2012 – After his talks in Podgorica, including visits to refugees and displaced persons in the Konik camp, Jean-Charles Gardetto (Monaco, EPP/CD), PACE Rapporteur on the monitoring of Montenegro, stated that he was expecting a major political gesture from the Montenegrin authorities:
“Montenegro generously took in over 120 000 refugees and displaced persons fleeing the war in former Yugoslavia and Kosovo*. Now the authorities can seize this historical opportunity to integrate those who will not or cannot go back home by helping them over the administrative obstacles, granting them legal status by the end of 2012 and allowing them to participate fully in Montenegrin society.
This would enable Montenegro to confirm its major role in ensuring regional stability and reconciling the different peoples”. In this connection, the Rapporteur paid tribute to the efforts by the countries of the region to close the painful chapter of refugees and displaced persons, and invited the donor countries to support the “Sarajevo Process” alongside the UNHCR, the EU and the Council of Europe Development Bank.
“Over the past five years Montenegro has made major progress and demonstrated its desire to approximate to the converging standards of the Council of Europe and the European Union,” Mr Gardetto went on. “I have great confidence in Montenegro’s European future. However, further progress is still needed.” Here the Rapporteur was referring to the independence of justice, the fight against discrimination, particularly against the Roma people and LGBT persons, the fight against corruption and money laundering and reinforcement of the role of the media.
“The attack on Olivera Lakic, an investigative journalist, in Vijesti last Wednesday, is intolerable. I would urge the Montenegrin authorities to do their utmost to investigate this case thoroughly, and to identify, prosecute and punish the perpetrators of this violence, which cannot be tolerated in a democratic society.”
Mr Gardetto carried out a fact-finding mission from 5 to 8 March 2012, during which he met with parliamentarians and members of the government, the official authorities, NGOs and the media and representatives of the international community. The Monitoring Committee’s report on compliance with the commitments and obligations of Montenegro will be discussed at the Parliamentary Assembly’s summer session (25-29 June 2012).
*All reference to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, in this text shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.