Podgorica, May 4th, 2023
High Inspector of Justice Artur Metani was on a working visit to the High Judicial Council and the High Prosecutorial Council of Montenegro.
The president of the High Judicial Council, Mrs. Vesna Simovic Zvicer and the High State Prosecutor, at the same time President of the High Prosecutorial Council, Mrs. Tatjana Begović, made in their respective meetings, a presentation on the competences of their relevant institutions and how these competences are exercised.
The High Inspector of Justice underlined in his speech, among other things, that the justice system reform is a common challenge of the two countries within the European integration process, focusing especially on the orientation of the respective societies, towards a new culture and mindset related to the acknowledgement and enforcement of law, to the change of mentality in relation to the culture of impunity, the fight against corruption, or to the rule of law itself.
Mr. Metani answered the interlocutors’ questions on the HIJ functions and in particular on the process of complaint, investigation and disciplinary proceedings. He noted that the system of responsibility and accountability of magistrates must function in a balance between the public’s interest in the activity of judicial power bodies and the independence of magistrates by also playing a preventive role through the identification of problems related to the functioning or not of the justice systems, as well as the approval of recommendations for their improvement.
“The disciplinary system shall never serve as a means of pressure on the magistrates work, but as an important tool to measure the efficiency and quality of their work performance, professionalism or help to increase the quality of magistrates decision-making.”, said Mr. Metani.
Since Albania is implementing a deep legal and institutional reform in the justice system, High Inspector of Justice Metani invited the presidents of the High Judicial Council and the High Prosecutorial Council of Montenegro to our country, with a view to exchanging the best practices and work models within this process.
