Nefju worries about party recruitment: Big move, but reforms still ahead

Global Anticorruption Coordinator, U.S. Department of State Richard Neve It is believed that Montenegro’s efforts in the EU accession process are significant, but there are still many reforms yet to come.

In an interview with VOA, Nevju, who was in Montenegro last week, said he was concerned about the independence and efficiency of the judiciary and that party recruitment was also a challenge.

But he noted that Montenegrin government representatives told him they were determined to resolve the issues.

He also expressed his belief that sanctions were an effective strategy for the U.S. government to combat corruption in the Western Balkans.

“Montenegro has taken significant steps so far. She has achieved significant results and Montenegrins should be proud of all the efforts made in the fight against corruption and in the process of EU accession. This is very meaningful. However, what has been achieved is only the beginning of a wide range of activities, reforms and work to be done. This is not just a problem for Montenegro, but for every country in the region and the world, that the amount of reforms and activities that still need to be carried out is enormous, as corrupt actors always try to find new weaknesses. That is why the efforts and work must continue,” he said.

When asked which trends he is most concerned about when it comes to corruption in Montenegro, he said we are seeing them across the region.

“We see the dangers of vulnerability to actors who seek to use corruption as a weapon. Risks to prosecutors’ ability to prosecute cases, to whether judicial independence is upheld. We also see many risks when citizens don’t see the progress being made and that more needs to be done. I have only heard from government representatives, and certainly from civil society and others, that there is a real determination to address these challenges head on. That approach is necessary for your success,” he added.

He said it was absolutely important to maintain the independence of prosecutors and the judiciary.

“This issue has certainly been raised by civil society organisations and I think it is a very serious issue. When I speak to the government, I see a real determination to ensure that the independence of the judiciary is maintained. I hope, of course, that the process of joining the EU should ensure that this continues”, Nefyu said.

In response to a journalist’s statement that the Montenegrin Agency for the Prevention of Corruption has also come under criticism, especially after its director was accused of abusing his power, and whether this situation affects the credibility of the agency, Nevju replied that everything can be viewed from two perspectives.

“On the one hand, it is never a good thing that the people responsible for fighting corruption are arrested for corruption. On the other hand it also shows that the system is working. Prosecutors can arrest anyone. They can prosecute anyone through the court system. That is good. Sometimes this can be considered bad, but our view is certainly that it is good that these systems are working. It also points to the need for additional reforms and efforts to stop and prevent corruption before it happens and to detect corrupt actors before they go too far. This is also an area where we can find new ways to work with Montenegro,” he concluded.