The Chairperson of the Committee Mr Halil Duković and the Committee members Mr Izet Bralić and Mr Kemal Zoronjić, as well as Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms of Montenegro, Assistant Minister of Human and Minority Rights, Director of Directorate General for Social and Child Protection to the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, Director of Directorate General for Execution of Criminal Sanctions to the Ministry of Justice, Director of the Department for Execution of Criminal Sanctions in Spuž with his assistants and representatives of the NGO “Civil Alliance”, held a meeting with the president of Municipality of Bijelo Polje and his associates, following which they visited the Senior Home and the Prison.

The Chairperson of the Committee on Human Rights and Freedoms Mr Halil Duković said that the visit to institutions in Bijelo Polje was organised for the purpose of compliance with the rights of elderly as well as rights of person deprived of their liberty, with which the Committee had been dealing continuously, within its legislative, oversight and control role. He pointed out that all entities, within their competencies, should contribute to honouring of human rights and freedoms of all citizens.

The MP Kemal Zoronjić was interested in religious life of prisoners in the Prison in Bijelo Polje, and whether something had been done regarding the announced construction of a new prison.

During the visit to the Senior Home, members of the Committee on Human Rights and Freedoms and other participants had the opportunity to be informed on the contents offered by the Senior Home.

The MP Izet Bralić was interested in the health care given to its users, to which he was given the answer that the health care was provided to users upon their own request, and apart from the medical examinations by the doctors working in the Home, as needed, the users were taken to examinations in the Medical Centre in Bijelo Polje, or another medical institution.

Members of the Committee on Human Rights and Freedoms concluded that it would be necessary to increase the number of medical staff, and especially the caregivers.

The delegation Members attended the therapy community along with the persons residing in the Home, who told them they were very satisfied with living conditions in the Home and their relationship with the staff.

In continuation of the visit, the Chairperson of the Committee commended the management of the Department for Execution of Criminal Sanctions, saying it was highly commendable that there had been no cases of inhuman treatment and torture of the convicted and detained persons by the employees of the Department for Execution of Criminal Sanctions in 2013, also assessing as significant and encouraging the fact that, despite the planned construction of the new prison, they did not stop investing in the existing facility. He pointed out that the living conditions had improved in relation to the previous period, and with construction of the new prison for execution of criminal sanctions, planned by the end of 2015, the existing shortcomings would be removed.