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II module of the 2013 Public Policy School

The second module of the Public Policy school was held on March 30 and 31, 2013. Program has been continued with theme: “Evaluation of Public Policies”, presented by Professor Snezana Djordjevic, from the Belgrade’s Faculty of Political Sciences.

On the topic (keywords):

The process of public policy monitoring and evaluation: cost-benefit analysis (cost-benefit) analysis of cost-effectiveness (cost- effectiveness); phenomenon of multiple advocacy, methods and techniques for policy recommendations, policy monitoring results, practical synthesis of research and monitoring techniques; approaches, criteria, and techniques of evaluation (evaluation) forms of the policy argumentation; benchmarking system (measuring instruments and methods of monitoring the quality and operation of local authorities in all areas of the follow-up effects).

The module is realized as a two-day seminar with interactive workshops in PR center in Podgorica.

The Public Policy school project is supported by the Commission for the allocation of gambling revenue and managed by the Institute alternative in collaboration with the Centre for Research and Monitoring (CEMI).

Snezana Djordjevic since 2008, the Professor at Belgrade’s Faculty of Political Sciences and lecturer on classes: local government and public policy (undergraduate); public services, local economic development and public policy (postgraduate). At the same faculty got her PhD in year 1997.

The author of numerous books, monographs, articles in proceedings, studies, articles in journals, including: “Contemporary urban theory – the entrepreneurial, creative, democratic cities”, “Policy Analysis”, “Handbook of Local Economic Development,” ” Government in action – the world of public service “,” Local Government “,” The renaissance of local government – comparative models “,” The reform of local Ombudsmen’s work in Serbia “,” Manual for the citizens and civil society involvement in the decision-making process “,” Decentralization dictionary ” etc..

She is a former Fulbright scholar grants (Fulbright grant) for the six-month research project on “Public Services” at the Maxwell School, Campbell Institute, Syracuse, New York, 2002-2003. She is a member of the Political Science Association Serbia.

 

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Law on Parliamentary Oversight of Security and Defense Sector – Second Year of Implementation

The Law on Parliamentary Oversight of Defense and Security Sector was unanimously adopted by the Parliament of Montenegro in December 2010, after nearly three years since the conception of idea of the need for its adoption. The basic objective of the Law was to enable the Parliament of Montenegro, directly through the Committee for Defense and Security conducting the oversight of authorities in charge of security and defense, to ensure the protection of citizens’ freedoms and rights against possible abuse, as well as to contribute to the development of a comprehensive and modern security system of Montenegro. The Law specifies the manner of conducting parliamentary oversight of actions of authorities and institutions dealing with the security and defense issues, their duties, as well as the relationship of the Committee for Defense and Security to the Parliament and Government of Montenegro.

Institute Alternative has contributed in the development of this Law, primarily by advocating the necessity of its adoption, and then also by cooperating with the competent working group in the course of drafting the legal text. Following the adoption of the Law in the Parliament, in December 2010, we have organized a round table and we announced that we will continue to monitor the implementation of this important Law, in order to strengthen and maintain its spirit and motives that lay behind its adoption.

In December 2011, we marked the first year of implementation of this Law and presented our Report on the work of the Parliament and the Committee for Security and Defense in fulfilling its provisions. On this occasion, we concluded that:

“Adoption of the Law, to a certain extent, has triggered both the proactive and the more efficient work of the Committee, although it stills suffers from the insufficient use of the available oversight mechanisms and uncertainty of conducted parliamentary oversight’s impact.”

The year addressed by this Report was featured by the parliamentary elections. In July, the Parliament adopted the decision on shortening its term, and the elections were held in October, and in November a new, 25th convocation has been constituted. Elections and associated events have influenced the work dynamics of the Committee for security and defense, resulting in failure to address a large part of planned commitments.

The Report before you is a review of the activities of the Parliament and the Committee, in reference to the oversight over security and defense sector. The structure of the report, to the greatest extent, relies on areas that we have addressed in our last year’s report and at that time established methodology. Recommendations for improvement have been provided at the end of the Report, which we will address to the members of the Committee for Security and Defense, and other participants in the oversight process over this sector.

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Discussion on the first year of the Law on public procurement implementation

President of the Managing Board, Stevo Muk participated at the workshop “New Law on Public Procurement: Lessons Learned from the first year of implementation,” which is organized by the Public Procurement Administration and SIGMA on 28 March 2013 at Hotel Maestral (Becici). The workshop is focused on the analysis of the Law on Public Procurement (2011) and important issues in its implementation (transparency, administrative efficiency and effectiveness, etc.).

During 2012, we have prepared a comprehensive study “Corruption and public procurement in Montenegro”, analysing new legislation in terms of defining the anti-corruption measures and mechanisms, and compliance with the relevant EU regulations. IA’s President of the Managing Board at this workshop will present some of the findings from the study, as well as recommendations for overcoming the existing shortcomings in the Law.

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Statement: NSA should be politically and ideologically neutral

Question from the daily “Dan”:

How do you comment on the fact that the Army of Montenegro and the National Security Agency (NSA), during 2006, led the lists of political orientation of Pljevlja’s garrison officers regarding the referendum, as evidenced in the document released today in daily „Dan“?

Reply of our public policy researcher, Dina Bajramspahić:

NSA is obliged by Law on NSA to act politically and ideologically neutral and this case shows that many harsh criticisms on our intelligence agency are not totally unfounded and that NSA has in recent experience (the latest from 2006) activity of influencing the national political events. In insufficiently developed democracies, and unfortunately, sometimes even in those more developed, the national interest is often identified with the interest of the ruling elite, and the intelligence services are used as instruments for the implementation of these interests. This is unacceptable and endangers basic human rights and freedoms. Bearing in mind that the work of intelligence agencies is, by definition, secret, there will always be space for abuse of this type. That’s why it is necessary to develop all forms of oversight over the NSA. In Montenegrin legal framework there are all the sort of levels of control. However, the practice of supervision is not well developed and therefore a strong democratic and civilian control of the NSA is not yet achieved.

In its previous Progress Reports on Montenegro, the European Commission indicates politicization of the Montenegrin Government and the need for its professionalization, so this is no surprise. Newest allegations of political checks of eligibilities of employees of Army should be seen in that light. Any evaluation of the impact and contribution of Government employees, which is beyond the scope of their expertise and work quality and ability, is illegal, discriminatory and as such deserves reaction of prosecution.

The answer was published in today’s edition of “Dan”

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I module of the 2013 Public Policy School

The first module of the Public Policy school was held on March, 23 and 24 2013. Introductory theme was: “The concept and the actors of policy-making” explained to participants with more details by professor Tihomir Ziljak from the Faculty of Political Science in Zagreb.

The topic:
Policy-making process: concept and policy classification as well as policy actors in the process (government, non-government, think tanks and interest groups, etc..); Instruments and dynamics in these policies, “the Europeanization effect”, ie the extent to which the state wants to integrate into the EU policy making and targeted policies that are formed on the supranational, EU level.

The module is realized as a two-day seminar with interactive workshops in PR center in Podgorica.

The project Public Policy School is supported by Commission for the allocation of revenue from the games of chance and managed by the Institute Alternative in collaboration with the Centre for Research and Monitoring (CEMI).