Podgorica, (MINA) - The independence of the State Prosecutor’s Office is not a privilege, but a constitutional and legal obligation that guarantees citizens’ trust in justice and the stability of the legal order, said Supreme State Prosecutor Milorad Markovic, adding that the Prosecutor’s Office will not yield to any political, institutional or other pressure.

In an interview with the MINA News Agency, on the occasion of the recently published European Commission (EC) report on Montenegro, Markovic pointed out that the appointment of Prosecutorial Council members transparently and in line with the law would strongly confirm the value of professionalism, responsible institutional cooperation and commitment to European principles in the interest of citizens and the future of the state.

The document emphasizes the need to strengthen the independence of the Prosecutor’s Office, while also noting political pressure on the work of the service.

When asked what he will do to ensure that the Prosecutor’s Office remains independent, Markovic replied that its independence is not a privilege, but a constitutional and legal obligation that guarantees citizens’ trust in justice and the stability of the legal order.

“During the previous period, we made it loud and clear that the Prosecutor’s Office will not yield to any political, institutional or any other pressure”, said Markovic.

He stressed that, on the other hand, independence does not exist without responsibility, which is why they are particularly focused on strengthening the internal mechanisms for protecting the integrity, ethical responsibility and professional conduct of prosecutors.

According to Markovic, the recently adopted Code of Ethics for state prosecutors further affirms the impartiality, professional integrity and standards of behavior expected of prosecutors.

“Our goal is for citizens to perceive the Prosecutor’s Office as an institution that acts solely in the interest of justice, the rule of law and the protection of the public interest”, Markovic emphasized.  

When asked if he expects the Parliament to elect members of the Prosecutorial Council soon, he said that this body represents one of the key pillars of institutional stability and a guarantor of the independence of the State Prosecutor’s Office.

“Having that in mind, we expect the Parliament to recognize the importance of timely, transparent and merit-based appointment of Council members, in line with European standards and principles of expertise and responsibility”, said Markovic.

When asked how the reform processes within the State Prosecutor’s Office contribute to Montenegro’s European path, Markovic explained that they represent a key pillar of progress in the area of ​​the rule of law and are central to meeting the provisional benchmarks in Chapters 23 and 24.

“These reforms have produced concrete results: the efficiency and transparency of the judicial system have been improved, the accountability of state prosecutors has been strengthened, and clearer mechanisms for monitoring progress in the application of European standards have been established”, said Markovic.

He noted the particular importance of reforms in establishing binding instructions, which enable the uniform implementation of laws and internal procedures in the work of state prosecutor’s offices.

“Our goal is not only to carry out reforms to fulfill our obligations towards the EU, but to build a system that functions according to the highest standards of professionalism, independence and responsibility”, said the Supreme State Prosecutor.

The EC also pointed out in its report that the number of investigations and indictments for high-level corruption and organized crime have increased, but that the number of final verdicts remains low. When asked how the Prosecutor’s Office is addressing this, Markovic said that it continued to make extraordinary efforts to improve the quality of investigations and strengthening evidentiary argumentation in serious crime cases.

He stressed that the progress is most evident in the results of the Special State Prosecutor’s Office (SDT) in the area of ​​organized crime, corruption and money laundering.

Markovic underscored that the goal of the Prosecutor’s Office is not only to increase the number of indictments, but to ensure solid and sustainable evidence that leads to final verdicts.