Montenegro transparency reform faces systemic administrative challenges

freedom of information administrative silence transparency reform public right to know Montenegro

The Center for Civic Education (CGO) has warned that Montenegro’s new Law on Free Access to Information may not resolve systemic issues regarding institutional transparency. Despite the law coming into full effect in July 2026, CGO notes that the reform is being implemented within a system already burdened by administrative silence, thousands of appeals, and insufficient institutional capacity.

Data from the Agency for Protection of Personal Data and Free Access to Information (AZLP) highlights the scale of the challenge. In 2025, 7,481 requests for information were submitted, with the legal 15-day deadline exceeded in 2,180 cases. Of the 2,330 upheld appeals that year, 52 percent were due to procedural violations or administrative silence. Furthermore, the number of undecided appeals at the AZLP rose significantly from 90 in 2020 to 2,768 in 2025, indicating a structural problem.

The European Commission’s 2025 report on Montenegro also identified significant challenges in this area, citing inadequate human, financial, and IT capacities within the AZLP.