The Council of Europe organized a significant event in Podgorica to present the Baseline Study on Legislation, Policy, and Judicial Practice in the Field of Human Rights and the Environment in Southeast Europe.
This study provides a general overview of the legislative and policy frameworks in all six jurisdictions of Southeast Europe, including Montenegro. It addresses both substantive and procedural law, evaluates the implementation of national legislation and judicial practices, and offers practical recommendations to address the most pressing legal and institutional challenges within the Montenegrin legal system.
In her opening remarks, President of the Constitutional Court of Montenegro, Snežana Armenko, emphasized that this is “a moment not only to reflect on the results achieved, but also to prepare for future challenges and opportunities, as both are equally important when we recognize and seize them in order to build bridges in reality between two key issues of our time: sustainable development and environmental protection.”
Predrag Zenović, Chief Negotiator of Montenegro with the European Union, stressed that “environmental protection is not merely a sectoral policy—it is a matter of human rights and a fundamental expression of the social contract between the state and its people. Montenegro, as an ecological state, has a constitutional duty and a historic opportunity to lead by example in the region. This is not just a matter of compliance—it is a matter of conviction.”
Lejla Dervišagić, Head of the Council of Europe’s Program Office in Podgorica, underlined that “only through joint efforts of the judiciary, executive authorities, civil society, and us as international partners, can we build a legal and political framework in which nature, ecosystems, and people have the space to develop and thrive.”
The roundtable brought together representatives of the Montenegrin judiciary, prosecution, the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Region Development, the Ombudsman’s Office, civil society, and legal experts. Participants had the opportunity to exchange views through a meaningful discussion on the key findings and recommendations of the study, further enhancing the understanding of the link between human rights and environmental protection, particularly in light of European and international legal standards.
The goal of the Baseline Study is to provide direction for further progress in the protection of human rights and the environment in Montenegro and to serve as a significant point of reference for competent institutions and the professional public in this field.
The roundtable was organized within the framework of the regional project Human Rights and a Sustainable Environment in Southeast Europe, financed by the Human Rights Trust Fund.
Baseline Study on Legislation, Policy, and Judicial Practice in the Field of Human Rights and the Environment in Southeast Europe (download)