The State Department’s 2012 Human Rights Report for Montenegro quotes the findings of our policy briefs “National Security Agency and Secret Surveillance Measures – Is there any control?” and ”Secret Surveillance Measures in Criminal Procedure – Neglected Control” on the number of persons who were subjected to these measeures and data collection, as well as on the questionable legal framework in the criminal procedure. The quotation is a part of the section entitled Arbitrary Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence.
Training on monitoring accession negotiations in chapter 23
Dina Bajramspahić, our policy analyst, took part in the three-day training to improve the capacity of the members of Coalition of NGO’s for monitoring the negotiations in Chapter 23 – Judiciary and fundamental rights.
Training was an activity within the project “Let’s make the negotiation process public” that is being led by Centre for Development of NGOs (CRNVO). The Coalition brings together 15 non-governmental organizations in order to prepare recommendations to contribute to the situation in the area of judicial reform, fight against corruption and human rights. From 17 to 19 April training participants had an opportunity to learn all about the Montenegrin framework for the negotiations and about Montenegrin Coalition of NGOs for monitoring the negotiations, and, at the same time, the experience of Croatian Platform 112, which had the same mission during the Croatian negotiations in Chapter 23
With a review of the most important dates in the European integration of Montenegro, Dr. Jovana Marović, who is a research coordinator in IA, and member of the working group for negotiations in Chapter 23 as one of the four representatives of NGOs in this chapter, explained the Montenegrin context. She presented the negotiation structures in Montenegro, decisions on establishing working groups, rules of procedure of the working groups, and, also, gave an overview of the currently formed working groups. She also explained the role of the Parliament in the process (the institutional framework for the reviewing negotiating positions, cooperation with civil society, the Action Plan for strengthening the legislative and control function of the Parliament in 2013) and the contents of Chapter 23 (benchmarks, Screening Reports, negotiating positions, Action plans, and the dynamics of the negotiations, etc.).
The possibilites and chances of the process of negotiations with the EU in Chapter 23, explained Eugen Jakovčić, whose organization Documenta is a member of the Platform 112, which had joint successful activities during the Croatian negotiations in this chapter. He explained Croatian experience in negotiations and the various aspects of the experience of their informal coalition of civil society organizations, which is indicated on the burning issues in the areas that are engaging in this chapter in Croatia.
Researching police corruption
Our researchers, Dina Bajramspahić and Marko Sošić, participated in the regional training course on researching police corruption.
The workshops are specifically designed to improve the capacity of civil society organizations dealing with security issues in the region of Southeast Europe.
Nine sessions of the first workshop dealt with “Theory and practice of researching police corruption”. “Methodological approaches to researching police corruption” were the topic of the other seven sessions.
Some of the issues covered during the workshops included:
- Preventing corruption in the police (anti-corruption approaches and strategies) – Belgian model.
- The causes of corruption as a basis for the formulation of anti-corruption measures.
- Police anti-corruption institutions – the organization and modus operandi
Instruments to fight corruption in the police - Auditing and monitoring of professional standards in the police
- Evaluation of anti-corruption policies and institutions: Impact Assessment
- Representing the need for reforms – the role of civil society organizations, international organizations – particularly the EU, the media and citizens to fight corruption
- Definitions and typologies of research on corruption in the police
- Psychosocial and cultural and systemic explanations of police corruption
- Research approaches – statistical survey design, conduct specialized, international / comparative research, focus groups, interviews.
- Access to information in the possession of the police.
Workshops were held in Belgrade from 14 to 16 April, organized by the Center for Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) from Geneva, and hosted by the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCSP). The training will be continued – the third workshop will be held on 13-14 June this year in Sofia (Bulgaria), and will be hosted by the Center for the Study of Democracy.
Civil society involvement in accession negotiations: Too much to ask?
Key characteristics of the civil society’s participation in the process of Montenegro’s accession negotiations are the key topic of the analysis of our research coordinator, Jovana Marović, which has been published in the publication “Parliamentary Challenges in the EU Accession Process” of the Institute for Democracy and Mediation from Tirana, Albania.
Press release: IA Will Monitor Recruitment And Promotion In State Administration Bodies
With an intention to contribute to the break with the existing practices of nepotism and politicisation in the state administration, Institute Alternative (IA) has started monitoring of the implementation of the new Law on Civil Servants and State Employees.
New Law entered into force on January 1 and is expected to introduce expert and working qualities and candidates’ abilities as the key criteria of recruitment and promotion in the state administartion bodies.
Yet, certain provisions in the Law are wide enough for different interpretations, and the head of the body still has a discretionary power not to choose the candidate with the highest rank and to provide an adequate justification for that.
The essential contribution of the Law and related by-laws to the improvement of the state administration system will thus depend on the consistency and on the way of their implementation.
IA will during 2013 monitor implementation of those provisions which are most susceptible to the abuse.
In the first instance, we will follow the number of cases in which the head of the body uses an exceptional right not to choose the candidate which received the highest rank during the procedure of testing candidates’ abilities.
We think that this exceptional permission, if it becomes a dominant practice, might hamper the possibility for recruitment and promotion in the state administration to be based on the merit system instead on distribution of posts and working positions in the state administration in line with the party loyalty and friendship and kinship ties.
Also, the Decree which regulates the way of testing the candidates’ abilities leaves a relatively high percentage for the evaluation of the oral interview. In addition, certain criteria for scoring the interview, such as personal performance and showing of motivation, are largely of subjective nature.
We will devote special attention to the number of candidate who lodge appeals to the procedure of selecting the candidates, or address the Administrative Inspection with regard to the irregularities during the procedure of testing candidates’ abilities.
Milena Milošević
Policy Analyst
III module of the 2013 Public Policy School
The third module of the Public Policy school has been held on April 13 – 14 2013. The programe was continued with the lecture on “policy analysis” by Anka Kekez Koštro and Milan Koštro.
The topic (keywords):
The main purpose of this workshop was to bring closer students to the purpose of analysis procedures in the public policy’s design and implementation as well as specific research standards and methodologies. The workshop aimed to straighten capacities for the immediate implementation of simple research methodologies, as well as in organizing complex researche projects in collaboration with experts from different public policy areas. Given that effective public policy analysis involves effective communication of findings, the workshop participants will have the opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills that will be of direct use in making high-quality analytical texts of different formats (Policy Analysis, Summary-brief, press – release).
The two days long workshop was held at the PR Center, it was dynamic learning process, with a focus on connecting previous professional experience of participants with new concepts and methods presented by researchers with extensive experience in public policy analysis. The participants were included in dialogue and had the opportunity for exchange of experiences and perspectives from different sectors.
Through interactive presentations and group exercises based on specific policies examples the participants, the following contents were processed:
- Process of policy making and public policy elements (a short review of the first module highlights)
- Policy Research and Development
- Policy analysis as applied research: Forms and methodological approach
- Stakeholder analysis as a policy analysis form
- Problem defining as a policy analysis form
- Analysis of the public policy design
- Development and communication of different formats of quality analytical texts
Short biographies of the lecturers:
Anka Kekez Koštro (Split, 1982), graduated in Political Sciences Department at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Zagreb, currently on doctoral studies on Comparative Politics Department at the same faculty. Since 2005, first as an external collaborator, and since 2010 as a research-assistant at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Zagreb she conducted seminars by applying the service – learning method in: Public policy, political socialization and political education, Democracy and civil society courses.
In the same period, first as a consultant (MAP Consulting Ltd.), and then as a research assistant at the Public Policy Department (Faculty of Political Sciences in Zagreb) takes part in a number of scientific and applied researches on the public policies making and implementation in Croatia, in that sense she designed and conducted for civil servants, employees and civil society activists informal education about public policy.
Publications Summary (book chapters and journal articles, expert analysis) is available on the website CROSBI by: http://bib.irb.hr/lista-radova?autor=326864&period=2007.
Anka Kekez Koštro (Split, 1982), graduated in Political Sciences Department at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Zagreb, currently on doctoral studies on Comparative Politics Department at the same faculty. Since 2005, first as an external collaborator, and since 2010 as a research-assistant at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Zagreb she conducted seminars by applying the service – learning method in: Public policy, political socialization and political education, Democracy and civil society courses.
Milan Koštro (1974), graduated in Political Sciences Department at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Zagreb. After a long career in journalism, as a political and economic journalist, reporter and editor for newspapers, radio, television and the Internet, since 2011 worked as an independent media consultant and trainer. He has organized and moderated a series of conferences and round tables. He is an experienced trainer in the field of socially responsible managment, media and public appearances. He also works as a media campaigns manager for companies, organizations and politicians. While working in media, he edited various publications, two radio programs on economic subjects and portals: Reuters and banka.hr. Beca use of his knowledge in economics and politics, participated in the preparation of socio-economic analysis and various policy documents.The Public Policy school project is supported by the Commission for the allocation of gambling revenue and managed by Institute alternative in collaboration with the Centre for Research and Monitoring (CEMI).