Montenegro Fails to Deliver on Anti-Corruption Promises

Despite being required by the European Union (EU) to combat corruption, Montenegro’s efforts have stalled due to political instability and a lack of political will.

Understaffed and Inadequate Framework

• The Agency for Prevention of Corruption is understaffed and in need of improvement.
• The legal framework governing corruption prevention remains inadequate.
• Political interference has halted anti-corruption reforms, making it challenging to establish effective lines of accountability within the state administration.

International Cooperation and State Capture

• Montenegro has improved its international cooperation, particularly with NATO and Western countries.
• However, the presence of state capture continues to hinder effective collaboration.
• The country’s judicial system is largely ineffective due to corruption, political interference, and poor implementation of the existing legal framework.

Economic Challenges

• High public debt and unemployment rates remain major challenges for the economy.
• Weaknesses in transparency, rule of law, and unfair competition from the informal economy continue to negatively impact the business environment.

Civil Society and Whistleblower Protection

• Civil society organizations have reported difficulties in sharing information with government actors.
• The protection of whistleblowers is often rejected or not followed up on due to corruption and political interference.

Press Freedom

• Press freedom has improved slightly, but independent media are almost non-existent.
• The government’s new ad hoc commission for monitoring violence against the media has yet to yield positive results.

Expert Warning

• Experts warn that Montenegro needs to take immediate action to address these issues in order to meet EU accession requirements and ensure a stable future for its citizens.