Montenegrin judicial and anti-corruption initiatives

The Montenegrin judiciary has initiated competency testing for various judicial positions. In Podgorica, the High Court scheduled assessments for Advisor candidates, involving written tests and oral interviews organized by the Human Resources Administration. Following this, the Basic Court in Herceg Novi announced similar knowledge and competency evaluations for independent clerk and court process server candidates.

In addition to judicial recruitment, the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption held a training session in the Municipality of Tivat regarding the Code of Ethics for elected officials. This training follows amendments to the Law on the Prevention of Corruption that took effect in August. The program covered modules such as the prevention of conflicts of interest, integrity, transparency, and the protection of whistleblowers.

Karas Bošković, a representative of the Agency, noted that legal changes expand the scope of obligations. Requirements now extend beyond public officials to include notaries, bailiffs, bankruptcy administrators, and individuals involved in public procurement. The law also now recognizes “perceived conflicts of interest,” which are situations that may create the impression of a conflict between private and public interests.