The conference “Fight Against Corruption on the Path to the EU: From Rhetoric to Concrete Results,” dedicated to strengthening anti-corruption policies and fulfilling Montenegro’s obligations in the process of European integration, was held today in Podgorica.
The conference was opened by Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorčević, Minister of Justice Bojan Božović, and Acting Director of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption Dušan Drakić.
Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorčević emphasized that the fight against corruption is not a technical issue, but one of the key political issues in the process of accession to the European Union.
“Montenegro is the most advanced in the negotiations, and precisely for that reason concrete, visible, and sustainable results are expected from us. European integration is not only about aligning legislation with the EU acquis. It implies a deep transformation of the way institutions function, how decisions are made, and how public resources are managed. In this regard, the European Union is very clear – without visible and lasting results in the fight against corruption, there is no progress in the negotiations,” Gorčević said.
The Minister stressed that it is important to understand that the fight against corruption is not limited only to Chapters 23 and 24. Corruption is a horizontal issue that concerns all negotiating chapters and all sectoral policies. As she noted, the task of institutions is to identify specific corruption risks in every area, clearly map them, and demonstrate that they have the capacity and willingness to prevent them systematically.
The Minister of Justice emphasized that Montenegro faces a demanding path ahead, which requires open dialogue, strong inter-institutional cooperation, and partnership with civil society.
“The first challenge is that we must continue strengthening the normative framework. Above all, I am referring to the Law on the Prevention of Corruption, the Law on the Protection of Whistleblowers, as well as the need to complete the work on the Law on the Confiscation of Proceeds of Crime and the introduction of a new criminal offence – illicit enrichment related to the performance of a public function. The second challenge is the appointment of the Director of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption to a full mandate,” Božović said.
The Acting Director of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption emphasized that 2026 will not be a year of planning, but a year of delivering results.
“We are determined to further strengthen human and technical capacities, improve IT systems, ensure stable and responsible management, and further enhance cooperation with competent institutions. Without that chain, there can be no credible results in the rule of law chapters,” Drakić said.
As part of the conference, a panel entitled “Anti-Corruption Through Negotiating Chapters – How to Fulfil the Recommendations from the EC Report” was held, bringing together representatives of institutions, the civil sector, and international experts. The discussion included State Secretary at the Ministry of European Affairs Biljana Papović, Deputy President of the Council of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption Mladen Tomović, Executive Director of MANS Dejan Milovac, as well as anti-corruption expert from the Republic of Croatia Nataša Novaković.
In the continuation of the conference, a working panel for members of the negotiating structure entitled “Integrity Plan for the Fight Against Corruption Through Negotiating Chapters” was organized, led by the Acting Director General at the Ministry of European Affairs Denis Vukotić and expert Novaković.
The aim of the conference is to identify, through open dialogue among all relevant actors, concrete steps to achieve the results necessary for closing negotiating chapters. The event was organized by the Ministry of European Affairs and the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption, with the support of the EU4ME Project, financed by the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro.