2012 Resident Coordinator Annual Report Montenegro Montenegro continues to undertake extensive reforms for harmonisation with European Union legal and policy frameworks. The country made considerable progress since it regained independence in 2006 in establishing institutional, policy and legal frameworks. However, according to the latest 2012 Progress Report of the European Commission Montenegro’s limited administrative capacity represents a challenge in a number of areas and needs to be strengthened in view of the accession negotiations and to ensure effective implementation of the acquis. Further progress is needed in the areas of free movement of workers, free movement of capital, company law, food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policy, taxation, enterprise and industrial policy, environment and climate change, and financial and budgetary provisions. Montenegro has continued to improve the legal and institutional framework on the protection of fundamental rights. Nevertheless, shortcomings persist, especially in the enforcement of these rights. Administrative capacity and financial means to implement the laws remain limited, according to the Progress Report.The United Nations Country Team in a “Delivering as One” context, has played a key role in contributing to the reform process, and is well positioned to provide tailor-made capacity development support to address issues of human rights fulfilment and sustainable human development, while also supporting European Union accession. The year 2012 was characterised by opening accession negotiations with the EU in June, historic visit of the UN Secretary General in July, parliamentary elections in October and a very modest economic growth. During the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Chicago on 20 May 2012, the heads of states and governments issued a Declaration stating, inter alia,the significant progress that Montenegro has made towards NATO membership and its contribution to security in the Western Balkans region and beyond, including through its active role in regional cooperation activities and its participation in ISAF. They added that Montenegro has successfully implemented significant political, economic and defence reforms, and that NATO encourages it to continue on that path so it can draw even closer to the Alliance . Montenegro’s progress towards membership is under active review. On 26 June 2012, the European Council welcomed the EU Commission’s report on Montenegro's progress in the implementation of reforms and adopted the general EU position for the accession negotiations. The EU opened accession negotiations with Montenegro on 29 June, highlighting the importance of further progress in areas of the rule of law, and fight against corruption and organised crime. Therefore, the first negotiations talks opened with the country regard chapters 23 and 24 of the acquis. Another positive development in the year 2012 is Montenegro’s election, by UN General Assembly, in UN Human Rights Council (HRC) for a three year term - period 2013 - 2015. Among the main criteria for admission to HRC are candidate’s contribution to promotion and protection of human rights and voluntary commitments which the candidate country intends to fulfil during its three-year membership in the Council. Montenegro is a third country from the region to be admitted to the HRC, after Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. On the political front, the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) remains the dominant political force in 2013, following the victory in the parliamentary elections . However, the ruling coalition did not get an outright majority like in previous two elections, but in November it signed a deal for establishment of the government with ethnic minority parties. The president of the country proposed the leader of the DPS and long-time politician, Milo Djukanovic, to head the country's newly elected government. Djukanovic has already served several terms as prime minister and president. Montenegro continued to face developmental challenges , throughout 2012, particularly those of vulnerable groups and regional disparities, which were exacerbated by the global financial crisis. The issues of income poverty and inequality continued to be at the centre of the human development agenda. According to data of the National Statistics Office, published in Poverty analysis in Montenegro for the year of 2010, the level of inequality slightly decreased from 26,4 in 2009 to 24,3 in 2010, measured by Gini coefficient. Based on the projections of the Ministry of Finance, the Montenegrin economy will have a real growth of 0.5% in 2012. The slowdown has been caused by worse international situation, unfavourable weather conditions at the beginning of the year (which resulted in lower volume of trade, traffic, investments and agricultural production), as well as by overhaul of the thermal power plant in Pljevlja and reduced production of hydro power plants and aluminium company and its lower price. The Roma are the most vulnerable with a poverty rate of 36 per cent; they are followed closely by displaced and internally displaced persons, welfare recipients, older people, the unemployed, and people with disabilities. Efforts are also needed to engender respect for protection of minorities and vulnerable groups such as children with disabilities. This is a first step towards equitable socio-economic development to support the elimination of disparities. Attitudes towards children with disabilities are changing, and there have been numerous positive steps since 2010 in promoting their social inclusion. Policy and legal frameworks for gender equality are in place; however, due to pervasive norms and attitudes, women’s participation in political and economic life remains low and capacity to implement the frameworks is also limited. EU integration remains the foreign policy priority. Promoting economic recovery is also high on the government’s agenda, following a modest growth in 2012. Fulfilling obligation of the HRC membership re promotion and protection of human rights and voluntary commitments will also be high on the agenda in 2013, together with meeting of recommendations from the second cycle of the Universal Periodic Review .
Resident Coordinator Annual Report for Montenegro, 2012
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