On the day two of the SAPC meeting, which have started in Strasbourg yesterday, the discussion was focused on instruments for fighting against corruption, including policies and practice related to the public procurement, protection of investigative journalists and whistle-blowers. The rapporteurs were Members of the Parliament of Montenegro Miodrag Vuković and Predrag Bulatović as well as Member of the European Parliament Nikos Chrysogelos. During the discussion, it was emphasised that, bearing in mind that sustainable public procurements contributed to gross national product, it was necessary to improve the efficiency of the system and protect the area from corruption, in order the competitiveness of companies to be additionally developed and the whole process to become more transparent.

In the context of the second topic relating to the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, rapporteurs – Vice President of the Parliament Suljo Mustafić, MP Dritan Abazović and MEP Göran Färm indicated the steps that should be taken with the aim of further improvement of human rights protection. The need of greater transparency of procedures for co-financing the NGO sector was stressed. The organisation of the pride parades in Budva and Podgorica was particularly welcomed. Parliamentarians also discussed the protection of Roma population rights, participation of women in the labour market and restitution process.

At the Meeting of the Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee (SAPC), co-chaired today by Eduard Kukan, Chair of the European Union Delegation for relations with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo and Slaven Radunović, Deputy Chair of Montenegrin Delegation, the Declaration with recommendations was adopted. Declaration welcomes Montenegro’s progress to the European Union, especially in the light of opening negotiating chapters 23 and 24, and calls authorities to continue efforts for further advance in the fields discussed by the Committee yesterday and today.