# Montenegro diplomatic and legal developments

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/montenegro-diplomatic-and-legal-developments
> Updated: 2026-10-10T08:45:33.000Z. Sources: 15. Developments: 2.

Montenegro has engaged in several high-level diplomatic and legal activities. In early October, Montenegrin President Jakov Milatović visited the Holy See to meet with Pope Leo XIV, marking the 140th anniversary of the 1886 Concordat and celebrating 20 years of modern diplomatic relations. The visit focused on strengthening bilateral ties and maintaining peace.

Following these diplomatic engagements, Montenegrin judicial and legal officials, including Supreme Court President Valentina Pavličić and Minister of Justice Bojan Božović, participated in the 148th Venice Commission plenary session. Their involvement centered on strengthening the rule of law and reviewing draft amendments to the Law on Minority Rights and Freedoms. Officials noted that the commission’s exchange of experiences is vital for the nation’s ongoing judicial reform processes.

More recently, a political dispute has emerged regarding judicial independence involving the Democratic Party (Demokrate) and lawyer Veselin Radulović. The conflict stems from an upcoming hearing at the Basic Court in Podgorica concerning a lawsuit filed by students of the ‘Kamo Śutra’ group against the Democratic Party for allegedly false public accusations.

Radulović has called on the Judicial Council to ensure the court acts without political influence. Conversely, the Democratic Party has accused Radulović of exerting undue pressure on the judiciary by publicly naming the presiding judge and attempting to predetermine the outcome through media statements. The party has urged the Judicial Council to determine if Radulović’s actions constitute an attempt to influence the court, while Radulović has criticized the party’s past rhetoric regarding the judiciary.

## Claims

- Valentina Pavličić and Bojan Božović are participating in the 148th plenary session of the Venice Commission. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- The session is reviewing opinions regarding Montenegro, Georgia, Moldova, and Poland. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- The Commission is reviewing urgent opinions regarding Greece, Malta, Serbia, and Ukraine. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- The Ministry of Human and Minority Rights requested a joint opinion on the draft amendments to the Law on Minority Rights and Freedoms in May. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- The next Venice Commission session is scheduled for early December. (corroborated by 4 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-10-10: Demokrate party disputes lawyer Radulović over judicial pressure

The Democratic Party in Montenegro has accused lawyer Veselin Radulović of exerting undue pressure on the judiciary ahead of a court hearing regarding a lawsuit filed by students against the party.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/montenegro-officials-attend-148th-venice-commission-plenary-session

### 2026-10-03: Vatican hosts leaders from Montenegro and Slovenia for diplomatic meetings

Montenegrin President Jakov Milatović and Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša conducted official visits to the Vatican to meet with Pope Leo XIV regarding bilateral relations and historical ties.

10 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/montenegros-jakov-milatovi-to-present-symbolic-gifts-to-pope-leo-xiv

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Cite as: Montenegro diplomatic and legal developments. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/montenegro-diplomatic-and-legal-developments