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Mapping of Social Services in Montenegro

Jedan od osnovnih principa reforme sistema socijalne i dječje zaštite jeste prevencija smještaja u ustanove, koja podrazumijeva razvoj usluga socijalne zaštite s ciljem podržavanja života u zajednici, odgovarajući na taj način na potrebe stanovništva. Od 2011. godine, reforma ove oblasti u Crnoj Gori usmjerena je na podsticanje vaninstitucionalnih oblika zaštite i afirmaciju veće uloge nedržavnih aktera u obezbjeđenju njihove dostupnosti.

Polazeći od principa reforme socijalne i dječje zaštite i normativnog okvira u kom se prvi put uvodi institut “usluga socijalne zaštite”, Institut alternativa je pokrenuo projekat „Mapiranje vaninstitucionalnih usluga socijalne zaštite u Crnoj Gori“. U fokusu istraživanja bila je dostupnost usluga socijalne zaštite definisanih Zakonom o socijalnoj i dječjoj zaštiti. Nisu obuhvaćeni podaci koji se odnose na ostvarivanje prava na materijalna davanja, koja se ostvaruju preko centara za socijalni rad ili nadležnih organa lokalne uprave, niti usluge neodložne intervencije i usluge procjene i planiranja koje su, prema Zakonu, isključivo u nadležnosti centara za socijalni rad. Nisu obuhvaćeni institucionalni oblici smještaja, odnosno usluge smještaja u ustanovu.

Opšti cilj projekta je unaprijediti razvoj i dostupnost mreže usluga socijalne zaštite u lokalnim zajednicama kroz partnerstvo i saradnju svih relevantnih socijalnih aktera.

Posebni ciljevi projekta su:

  • ustanoviti zastupljenost usluga socijalne zaštite po jedinicama lokalne samouprave;
  • ustanoviti strukturu usluga i pružalaca usluga po jedinicama lokalne samouprave;
  • izraditi mapu (katalog) usluga socijalne zaštite i pružalaca usluga po jedinicama lokalne samouprave;
  • povećati informisanost donosioca odluka, pružalaca usluga socijalne zaštite i samih korisnika o vrstama i dostupnosti usluga socijalne zaštite.
  • setom preporuka usmjeriti buduće aktivnosti relevantnih aktera na nacionalnom i lokalnom nivou kako bi zajedničkim naporom unaprijedili razvoj i dostupnost usluga socijalne zaštite.

U istraživačkom izvještaju “Mapiranje vaninstitucionalnih usluga socijalne zaštite u Crnoj Gori” za svaku jedinicu lokalne samouprave napravljen je poseban pregled stanja na osnovu kog su prepoznate prepreke koje onemogućavaju ili usporavaju razvoj usluga socijalne zaštite. U prilogu analizi stanja na lokalnom nivou prvi put je urađen katalog usluga socijalne zaštite i pružalaca usluga dostupnih u periodu 2012−2013. godine, koji je namijenjen pružaocima usluga, kako bi korisnicima obezbijedili pravovremenu informaciju i uputili ih na odgovarajuće usluge socijalne zaštite.

Katalog može poslužiti donosiocima odluke da dalje usmjeravaju razvoj onih usluga socijalne zaštite koje nedostaju, a koje su potrebne lokalnom stanovništvu. Na kraju, katalog usluga socijalne zaštite povećaće informisanost (potencijalnih) korisnika o pružaocima usluga i dostupnosti usluge i olakšati im izbor usluge. Na taj način se promovišu i ostvaruju ciljevi refome i jača svijest o potrebi smanjenja broja korisnika institucionalnih oblika zaštite.

Sastavni dio Izvještaja je presjek stanja na nacionalnom nivou i set preporuka za donosioce odluka, ali i pružaoce usluga socijalne zaštite u cilju unapređenja razvoja ove oblasti.

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Appointing the member of the State Audit’s Senate – Time for a decision!

Appointment of the fifth member of the Senate of the State Audit Institution represents an opportunity for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to support, in cooperation with the minority parties, the candidate with the best professional qualifications, instead of the candidates Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) persistently supports despite the obvious flaws and remarks given by the experts in the field.

Administrative Committee of the Parliament heard the candidates for the fifth member of the State Audit’s Senate, in an attempt to fulfill its responsibility after almost four years and provide an adequate candidate for the position. We believe that there is no more time to waste – the agreement on the best nominee and the one with the greatest plausibility of being supported by the plenary assembly needs to be reached at once.

There are several nominees that should be immediately excluded from the selection procedure, due to the fact that they earned negative assessment for their previous professional engagement by the State Audit Institution itself.

In addition, there are candidates which have already obtained a negative vote from the plenary assembly of the Parliament, so it makes little sense to propose them again.

Furthermore, there are nominees that have no previous professional experience related to auditing. If the MPs do not want for the new Senate member to spend first couple of years learning how to properly do his/her job instead of improving the work of the Institution, the choice is clear.

On the other hand, several nominees distinguish themselves with professional experience and references, which ought to be the sole criteria for appointment to such an important position.

The greatest responsibility for ensuring that the best candidate is appointed lies within the opposition and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), bearing in mind that the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) have already proven to be lead by different criteria. By doing this, the Parliament will, after almost four years, fulfill its responsibility and ensure that the Senate of the State Audit Institution works at full capacity.

Marko SOŠIĆ
Public Policy Researcher

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10th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Convention against corruption

Our researcher, Dina Bajramspahić, participated on Regional Anti-Corruption Conference for South Eastern European Countries held in Sarajevo, 9-10 December.

Regional Anti-Corruption Conference for South Eastern European Countries held in the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina premises to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the adoption and opening for signature of the United Nations Convention against corruption (UNCAC).

The Conference is organized by UNODC and the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in partnership with the Regional Center for Europe and CIS of UNDP in Bratislava and the European Commission. The objective of the Conference is to review anti-corruption efforts, policies and strategies in the South Eastern European states, enhance information exchange and dissemination of good practices among the participants and identify areas for improvement of anti-corruption action, as well as capacity building needs, technical assistance and means to enhance prevention of corruption. This event brought together more than 100 relevant participants, representatives of national delegations from a number of state institutions, as well as representatives of the international expert organizations.

Topics of the conference, among else, included:

  • The International Anti-Corruption Day and its meaning and symbolism for the region,
  • The implementation of the UNCAC in the region,
  • Preventive policies against corruption,
  • Monitoring and assessment of anti-corruption policies,
  • Strengthening the criminal justice and law enforcement anti-corruption responses in the region.
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Round table: Integrity in public and private sector – achievements and challenges

Research Coordinator at the Institute Alternative, Jovana Marovic, participated at the round table “The integrity in public and private sector – achievements and challenges”, which was organized by the American Chamber of Commerce in Montenegro, the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) and the Directorate for Anti-corruption Initiative, held in Podgorica on 10 December 2013. Jovana participated within the panel “Enhancing Integrity in the Public Procurement” and presented the findings of new Institute Alternative’s research “How does the Montenegrin municipalities implement procurement procedures?”.

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Memorandum Between IA and Ministry of Interior Affairs Signed

Signing of Memorandum of cooperation with Ministry of Interior Affairs is a good opportunity for advocacy of research findings and recommendations of Institute Alternative (IA), Stevo Muk, president of the Managing Board of IA, said.

Signing ceremony of Memorandum of cooperation between our organization and Ministry of Interior Affairs was organized on Tuesday in Podgorica.

Memorandum, signed by Stevo Muk and Raško Konjević, interior minister, streamlines the man areas of cooperation between IA and the Ministry.

Areas of cooperation entail:

  • public administration reform,
  • personal data protection with regard to the implementation of secret surveillance measures by the Police Directorate,
  • work of Administrative Inspection,
  • internal control,
  • development of program budget for work of Police Directorate,
  • development of integrity plan for the Ministry,
  • monitoring of action plans for fight against corruption at local level and overall activities of the Ministry with respect to accession negotiations with the EU.

“Ministry of Interior Affairs and Institute Alternative will particularly cooperate in the field of development of merit-based recruitment and promotion systems”, the document stressed.

Stevo Muk said that signing of Memorandum served as additional opportunity for advocacy of findings and recommendations of our organization, given that IA large part of activities devotes to research and analysis.

“The ultimate aim of our demands is increase of transparency and accountability of all institutions, and thus of this ministry and of this minister as well”, Muk added.

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IA at the Cetinje Parliamentary Forum

Our researcher Dina Bajramspahić participated at the XV Cetinje Parliamentary Forum , held from 1-3. December in Miločer.

XV Cetinje Parliamentary Forum was organized by the Parliament of Montenegro in cooperation with the Centre for security, development and rule of law (DCAF) and the theme of the forum was “Strengthening the Oversight role of parliamentary in the Defense and Security sector.”

The conference gathered more than 50 parliamentarians from the region, as well as representatives of the Ministries of Defense, the State Audit Institutions, the diplomatic corps, etc. Cetinje Parliamentary Forum is a regional initiative of parliamentary cooperation between the countries of South-Eastern Europe and an important instrument for encouraging parliamentary dialogue between the countries of the region. Forum aims to improve cooperation, enables transfer of knowledge, experience and also deepen parliamentary relations and diplomacy in the region, as well as to discuss challenges that representatives of the parliaments of the region face in preforming their legislative and control functions.

Issues that were discussed during this year’s forum include:

  • Euro-Atlantic integration and the implications on the defense budget process,
  • The Role of Parliaments in formulation and approval of the budget for the security sector,
  • Budget Audit and evaluation of the budget ,
  • The legal frameworks for oversight of the defense and security sector.