17/03/2010 Monitoring
Strasbourg, 17.03.2010 - While welcoming Montenegro’s substantial progress in implementing its commitments since accession to the Council of Europe in 2007, the Parliamentary Assembly's Monitoring Committee this morning called on the Montenegrin authorities to "maintain the current reform dynamic in order to catch up with the deadlines" and complete the implementation of the remaining post-accession commitments. In the meantime it proposes that the monitoring procedure with regard to Montenegro be continued.
The unanimously approved text, drawn up by the co-rapporteurs Jean-Charles Gardetto (Monaco, EPP/CD) and Serhiy Holovaty (Ukraine, ALDE), notes that Montenegro actively co-operates with the Council of Europe and "regularly asks the advice of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) in the course of preparation of legislation" and that the 2008 presidential election and 2009 parliamentary elections met almost all international standards. Montenegro has signed and ratified 67 Council of Europe conventions, thus fulfilling almost all the formal post-accession commitments. The text also welcomes the progress Montenegro has achieved in the process of European integration and its good relations with neighbouring countries, stating: "Montenegro is a reliable and constructive partner which plays a stabilising role in the region."
The committee nonetheless asks the authorities to make an effort with regard to the reform of electoral law, of legislation on political parties, of the judiciary and of the prosecutor's office and in the field of training judges in the case law of the European Court of Human Rights. It also calls for efforts regarding the effective implementation of guarantees concerning minority rights and regrets that a law prohibiting discrimination has not yet been passed. It points out that some groups in Montenegrin society, especially the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender (LGBT) community, are frequently "subjected to discrimination and are targets of intimidation and physical violence".
The text notes that the Montenegrin media sector is diverse and vibrant, while regretting "complaints from journalists about pressure which is being put on them". It calls for the implementation of the principles of Assembly Resolution 1577 (2007) “towards the decriminalisation of defamation”. Lastly, it asks the authorities to continue working to improve the situation of refugees and displaced persons by removing all discriminatory provisions in the fields of labour, education, access to property rights, legal redress and access to citizenship and to health services.
The text will be debated by the Assembly at its spring plenary session (26-30 April 2010).