A/HRC/23/12
109. Responding to concerns raised about statelessness, the delegation said that the
regional working group had concluded, through the Sarajevo process, that there was no risk
of statelessness because the former Yugoslavia had one of the best systems of registration.
All persons residing in Montenegro and coming from the former Yugoslavia without
citizenship can be subsequently registered in the citizen registry based on their parents’
place of birth or on some other grounds. Montenegro signed an agreement with Kosovo1 in
2011, concerning subsequent registration in citizen registries. As a result, in 2012 there
were a dozen collective visits to Kosovo with more than 500 IDPs, primarily RAE, in order
to be registered so as to obtain adequate documentation. With regard to the issue of children
born outside of health institutions, the Ministry of Interior is handling the procedure for
determining the facts for the registration of such children.
110. With regard to the integration of RAE population, progress was evident in the areas
of education, health and employment. There is a need for further social integration and
Montenegro has adopted a strategy for improving the position of the RAE population for
the period 2012-2016, with accompanying annual action plans. The areas of concern
identified were housing, health, education, employment, social and child care. Another area
incorporated in this strategy is violence against women and the issue of early and forced
marriages. Representatives of Government institutions and NGOs have allocated 470,000
Euros for the purposes of integration.
111. Montenegro adopted the new action plan for the achievement of gender equality for
the period 2013-2017 with NGO endorsement. Activities include the promotion of women
in politics, curbing violence against women, women’s health and the advancement of
women’s rights. Implementation of the plan will be monitored by a Commission composed
of representatives of State institutions and NGOs.
112. Media outlets established three independent self-regulatory bodies in 2012: the
Media Self-regulation Council, the Press Council and the Self-regulation Council for Local
Press and Periodicals, in line with European practice for monitoring professional and
ethical standards.
113. The Prime Minister, together with UNICEF, led the “It’s about abilities” campaign
which highly resonated with the public and contributed to better public awareness about
education of children with disabilities. Montenegro participated in the Paralympics for the
first time in 2012 and this received considerable media attention. Montenegro is planning to
include data on persons with disabilities in the upcoming census, in line with United
Nations recommendations relating to improved data on persons with disabilities. Significant
steps are being taken to intensify measures for the employment of youth with disabilities.
114. The institution of the Ombudsman has been reinforced by new preventive authority.
New experts have been hired and, in the context of the global economic crisis, Montenegro
did not cut the 2012 budget for the Ombudsman. Montenegro also plans to seek the expert
assistance offered by OHCHR.
115. On the issue of corruption, the delegation stated that Montenegro does not
distinguish between high- and low-level corruption. The aim of Montenegro’s policy is zero
tolerance towards corruption. With the opening of chapters 23 and 24 in the negotiations
with the European Union, Montenegro received an impetus and capacities for better
managing this issue. All the activities of its administration serve to further progress in the
area of fighting corruption and organized crime. Regarding the criminal offences of persons
1
References to Kosovo should be understood to be in the context of Security Council resolution 1244
(1999)
15
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