What Is Holding Back Inquiry Committees?
The work of inquiry committees in the Parliament of Montenegro is burdened by a series of procedural and legal gaps that make them an inefficient and easily obstructed mechanism of parliamentary oversight. The applicable Law on Parliamentary Inquiry does not clearly regulate the deadlines for deciding on initiatives, the replacement of committee leadership, the obligations…
How are laws adopted?
Legislative activity of the current convocation in figures The current convocation of the Parliament of Montenegro has a historic role to play in the EU integration process, the final stage of which depends, among other things, on harmonising Montenegro’s legislation with EU regulations and the requirements of the European Commission. Below is an overview of…
Parliamentary program, Rule of law
Parliament of Montenegro to Timely Consider the Annual Report of the Prosecutorial Council
We call on the Parliament to consider the report on the state of the prosecution service in a timely manner and adopt appropriate conclusions, while recalling that last year the report was not discussed until October, and since it was not adopted, no conclusions were passed whose implementation could later be monitored. At the end…
Parliamentary program, Rule of law
Prosecution’s accountability to Parliament: A duty, not a choice
Invoking the protection of “circumstances of individual cases” cannot serve as a basis for the prosecution to entirely refuse parliamentary oversight. The applicable legal framework and established practice indicate that the Supreme State Prosecutor (SSP) and the Chief Special Prosecutor (CSP) are required to respond to invitations from competent parliamentary committees and participate in their…
Re-form for Growth: Small Grant Facility – Call for Proposals
The project “WB Reform and Growth Monitor”, implemented by members of the Think for Europe Network (TEN) and Transparency International in Bosnia and Herzegovina (TI BiH), supported by the European Union, announces a Call for Proposals for the ”Re-form for Growth” Small Grant Facility (SGF). The objective of this Call is to empower civil society organisations to provide independent monitoring,…
Proposed Laws on Internal Affairs and the National Security Agency Still Contain Controversial Provisions
Last week’s amendments proposed by the Government to the proposed Law on Amendments to the Law on Internal Affairs introduce several improvements. However, the draft law still contains controversial provisions, as does the proposed Law on the National Security Agency. We recall our key objections to the earlier versions of the draft amendments, which we…
Space for Civil Society in Monitoring the Reform Agenda
The second meeting of civil society on the implementation of the Reform Agenda 2024–2027 and the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans was held, with assessments that better coordination in reporting is needed, as well as more significant involvement of civil society in verifying the fulfilment of reform steps. During the meeting, the content of…
Accountable public finances, Public administration reform
Strengthen Public Procurement Oversight, Not Weaken It
During the public consultation process, we submitted comments to the Ministry of Finance on the Draft Law on Amendments to the Public Procurement Law. We raised concerns regarding the proposed abolition of the Public Procurement Inspection and highlighted the insufficient capacity of the Budget Inspection to oversee contract implementation. We called for extending anti-corruption measures…
The Government’s Proposal of Constitutional Amendments will not Enhance the Role of the Prosecutorial Council
The constitutional amendments proposed by the Government, in the part relating to the Prosecutorial Council, do not resolve the key conflict of interest and the inappropriate concentration of power in the function of the Supreme State Prosecutor, who by virtue of office presides over the Prosecutorial Council. At the same time, by introducing a qualified…
Stop the Increasing Use of Non-Transparent Intergovernmental Agreements
Members of Parliament should refrain from voting on the new agreement with the UAE, which once again provides for exemptions from public procurement and competitive procedures, until the Constitutional Court delivers its decision on the previous agreement. Provisions that exclude the application of national legislation pose a threat to transparency and competitiveness, run counter to…
IA Proposes Constitutional Amendments: Strengthening the Oversight Function of the Prosecutorial Council
Institute Alternative submitted an initiative to the Ministry of Justice proposing amendments to the Constitution of Montenegro in the part relating to the position and competences of the Prosecutorial Council, with the aim of strengthening its independence, accountability, and balance within the state prosecution system. Institute Alternative calls on the Ministry of Justice to seriously…
IA Proposes Amendments to the Law on the State Prosecutor’s Office: Introduce Security Vetting and Income and Asset Verification of Prosecutors During the Selection Process
Within the work of the Working Group for the Preparation of Amendments to the Law on the State Prosecutor’s Office, Institute Alternative proposed a set of normative solutions aimed at strengthening integrity, transparency, and accountability in the selection and work of state prosecutors. The proposed amendments are intended to improve institutional verification mechanisms, prevent risks…
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Podcast, Public administration reform
Public Sector Under the Labor Inspectorate’s Scrutiny: Fewer Inspections, More Initiatives
Most of the initiatives received by the Labor Inspectorate concern the public sector; however, the private sector is subject to more frequent inspections, as irregularities there tend to have more serious consequences, explained the Chief Labor Inspector in our ReForma podcast. He announced plans to strengthen the Inspectorate’s capacities, which would, among other things, enable better oversight…
Podcast, Public administration reform
#ReForma: On Employment and Challenges in the Capital City
The Capital City is in the test phase of an application that will, within its human resources records, also include records of service contracts, with implementation expected in the coming weeks, announced Slađana Anđušić, Secretary for Local Self-Government and Cooperation with Civil Society, speaking on the IA’s #ReForma podcast. On the topic of local-level employment,…
Podcast, Public administration reform
Discrimination in Public Sector Employment: Difficult to Prove, but Widespread
Discrimination in public sector employment is difficult to prove; however, cases before the Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms indicate that discrimination is most prevalent in the area of employment and labor relations, with nationality and political affiliation being the most common grounds. On the issue of discrimination in public sector employment, the many challenges…
Podcast, Public administration reform
The second episode of IA podcast (Re)Form with Marija Hajduković: Counting public administration employees
In the second episode of the IA podcast (Re)Forma, we discussed the activities undertaken in the process of public administration reform, the importance of data accessibility, and the announced (urgent) amendments to the Law on Civil Servants and State Employees with Marija Hajduković, General Director of the Directorate for Strategic Planning in Public Administration, International…
Podcast, Public administration reform
The first episode of our new podcast “(Re)Forma”: Institutions should not enhance the reduction of competitiveness of employment process
Political parties promise meritocracy, but only declaratively. In the first episode, Milena Muk, a public policy researcher at Institute Alternative (IA), explains what changes need to be made in the legal framework and practice so that public sector employment becomes more competitive. The lack of progress since the change of government in 2020 regarding public…
Podcast, Public administration reform
Stevo Muk in the Podcast “European Talks”
Winds of change in Montenegro: What to expect in the next period? The recent elections in Montenegro suggest that major changes could soon take place in the country in the Western Balkans. Montenegro has opened all chapters in the process of negotiations with the EU, but how far has the enlargement process really progressed and…
Portal Moj novac
Public Procurement
Check out who’s winning public contracts, how much they’re getting paid, and which companies have received funding for goods, services, or construction over the last three years.
Budget Payments
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Budget at a Glance
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State-Owned Companies
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