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RAAUZYUW RUEHPOD0061 0680944-UUUU--RHMCSUU.
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 090944Z MAR 07 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY PODGORICA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC
INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RUEHC/USAID WASHDC
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION WASHINGTON DC
RUEHPOD/AMEMBASSY PODGORICA
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PODGORICA 000061 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KJUS CASC MW
SUBJECT: THE STATE OF MONTENEGRO'S JUDICIARY 
 
PODGORICA 00000061  001.6 OF 003 
 
 
SUMMARY 
 
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¶1. (U) MONTENEGRO'S JUDICIARY IS WIDELY SEEN AS THE WEAK LEG OF 
GOOD GOVERNANCE.  PUBLIC OPINION POLLS ROUTINELY SHOW A LACK OF 
CONFIDENCE IN THE COURTS. MORE DAMNING, THE CHIEF PROSECUTOR, 
HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN, THE PRESIDENT OF THE BAR ASSOCIATION AND 
EVEN THE PRESIDENT OF THE SUPREME COURT AGREE THAT JUDGES ARE 
INEFFICIENT, SLOW, AND EXHIBIT POOR DECISION-MAKING, EVEN IF 
THEY DIFFER AS TO THE REASONS WHY. ALL AGREE THAT JUDGES ARE 
POORLY COMPENSATED (BOTH AS TO MONEY AND RESPECT). MOST ALSO 
CITE POOR LEADERSHIP BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE SUPREME COURT AS A 
FACTOR; HE FAULTS AN EXCESSIVE CASELOAD.  GOOD POSSIBLE 
SOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED -- BETTER PAY, IMPROVED TRAINING 
AND STANDARDS, AND REMOVING EXTRANEOUS WORKLOAD -- BUT THE MONEY 
AND POLITICAL WILL TO IMPLEMENT THE SOLUTIONS ARE MISSING. END 
SUMMARY. 
 
 
 
INCOMPETENT JUDGES 
 
------------------ 
 
 
 
¶2. (U) UNIFORMLY, EXPERT OBSERVERS OF THE COURTS FAULT THE LOW 
QUALITY OF THE JUDICIARY. THE CHIEF PROSECUTOR, HUMAN RIGHTS 
OMBUDSMAN, THE PRESIDENT OF THE BAR ASSOCIATION AND EVEN THE 
PRESIDENT OF THE SUPREME COURT AGREE THAT TOO MANY JUDGES ARE 
INEFFICIENT, SLOW, AND EXHIBIT POOR DECISION-MAKING. THERE IS 
AGREEMENT THAT FEW TALENTED LAWYERS ARE ATTRACTED TO THE BENCH, 
REPELLED BY LOW PAY (EURO 300 PER MONTH, WHEN A GOOD LAWYER CAN 
MAKE EUROS 3000) AND SCANT RESPECT - EVEN THOUGH JUDGES WERE 
RESPECTED IN THE PAST, SAID PRESIDENT OF THE SUPREME COURT 
VUKOTIC. THE RESULT IS HIGH TURNOVER -IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, 25 
PERCENT OF MONTENEGRO'S 253 JUDGES LEFT, OFTEN THE BETTER JUDGES 
FOR THE HIGHER-PAID PRIVATE SECTOR. THE LACK OF STRONG STANDARDS 
FOR PROSPECTIVE JUDGES MEANS THAT WHEN REPLACEMENTS ARE NAMED, 
POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS OUTWEIGH PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS. 
 
 
 
OVERLOADED COURTS 
 
----------------- 
 
 
 
¶3. (U) MONTENEGRINS ARE INCREDIBLY LITIGIOUS, EVEN BY AMERICAN 
STANDARDS: SOME 300,000 CASES ARE CURRENTLY IN THE COURTS. WITH 
A POPULATION OF ONLY 630,000, ON AVERAGE ALMOST EVERY MAN, WOMAN 
AND CHILD IS INVOLVED IN A LAW SUIT - AND EACH OF AUTHORIZED 253 
JUDGES HAS A CASELOAD OF OVER A THOUSAND SUITS.  IN 2006, 
136,670 NEW CASES WERE FILED, BUT ONLY 127,000 RESOLVED. 
PRESIDENT VUKOTIC TOLD POLOFF A MAJOR FACTOR IS THAT COLLECTION 
OF OVERDUE UTILITY BILLS (37 PERCENT OF THE CASELOAD), AND 
ROUTINE NOTARY TASKS (40 PERCENT), ARE STILL TREATED AS COURT 
CASES. VUKOTIC ADDED THAT WHILE THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE HAS 
ACCEPTED THE COURTS PROPOSAL TO REMOVE THESE TWO AREAS FROM THE 
JUDICIARY, THE BILL HAS NOT BEEN ADOPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT AND 
SENT TO THE PARLIAMENT.  THIS WOULD REDUCE CASELOADS TO THE 
LEVELS SEEN BEFORE 1999, THAT IS, ABOUT 50 TO 60 THOUSAND. 
 
 
 
¶4. (U) LONG DELAYS RESULT FROM THE BACKLOG OF CASES. THE 
OMBUDSMAN FOR HUMAN RIGHTS TOLD POLOFF THAT ALMOST ALL OF HIS 
1,100 COMPLAINTS A YEAR DEAL WITH THE COURTS, AND SPECIFICALLY 
LONG DELAYS; VERY FEW COMPLAIN ABOUT CORRUPTION, OR POLITICAL 
INFLUENCE. THE OMBUDSMAN CITED A SMALL NUMBER OF INSTANCES IN 
WHICH TWO OR EVEN THREE YEARS ELAPSED BETWEEN ARRESTS AND THE 
COMMENCEMENT OF TRIALS. THE OMBUDSMAN HAS PUBLICLY PROPOSED 
CHANGING THE LAW TO ALLOW SUITS TO RECOVER MONETARY DAMAGES FROM 
THE STATE IN CASES OF EXCESSIVE COURT DELAYS. 
 
 
 
¶5. (U) JUDGE VUKOTIC UNDERSCORED TO POLOFF THAT A HIGH NUMBER OF 
ADMINISTRATIVE (GOVERNMENT AGENCY) AND LOWER COURT DECISIONS GET 
OVERTURNED ON APPEAL. HE NOTED IN PARTICULAR THAT OVER 50 
PERCENT OF CUSTOMS AGENCY DECISIONS GET OVERTURNED.  HE CITED 
THE FAILURE OF COURTS TO ROUTINELY PUBLISH THEIR DECISIONS AS 
CONTRIBUTING TO A NON-TRANSPARENT ENVIRONMENT, WHERE AGENCIES 
AND LOWER COURTS REPEAT ERRONEOUS DECISIONS.  HE ALSO STRESSED 
THE NEED FOR MORE AND BETTER TRAINING OF JUDGES, COURT 
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PODGORICA 00000061  002.6 OF 003 
 
 
PERSONNEL, AND AGENCY RULE IMPLEMENTERS. 
 
 
 
¶6. (U) MONTENEGRIN INTERLOCUTORS MINIMIZED THE ROLE OF OUTRIGHT 
CORRUPTION IN JUDICIAL DECISION MAKING.  INSTEAD, THEY NOTED 
THAT THE CURRENT APPOINTMENT SYSTEM ENSURED THAT ONLY JUDGES 
CONNECTED TO CERTAIN INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE GOT APPOINTED.  ONCE ON 
THE BENCH THE JUDGE "KNOWS HOW TO RULE" IN CASES INVOLVING THOSE 
INFLUENTIAL PERSONS, WITHOUT EXPLICIT BRIBERY OR INFLUENCE 
HAVING TO BE EXERTED.  SIMILARLY, THEY SAID THAT IN CASES 
INVOLVING MORE PROMINENT MEMBERS OF ORGANIZED CRIME, THE JUDGE 
IS OFTEN AWARE OF THE POSSIBLE EXTRA-LEGAL CONSEQUENCES OF AN 
ADVERSE RULING, WITHOUT THAT HAVING TO BE DIRECTLY COMMUNICATED. 
 (NOTE: IN SEVERAL NOTORIOUS CASES, ALL THE WITNESSES TO A 
VISIBLE CRIME HAVE DEVELOPED LIMITED MEMORIES, AS IN THE MURDER 
COMMITTED BY A WELL-KNOWN CRIMINAL AT THE PODGORICA HOSPITAL. 
REPORTEDLY SOME TWO DOZEN WITNESSES TO THE MIDDAY SHOOTING ALL 
CLAIMED TO SEE NO MORE THAN "A BLACK HAND." THE LACK OF EVIDENCE 
IS A STATUTORY BAR TO PROSECUTION. END NOTE.) 
 
 
 
POOR LEADERSHIP 
 
--------------- 
 
 
 
¶7. (U) THE CHIEF PROSECUTOR, VESNA MEDENICA, HAS BEEN ESPECIALLY 
CRITICAL OF THE LEADERSHIP SHOWN BY SUPREME COURT PRESIDENT 
RATKO VUKOTIC. IN REPEATED, WELL-REPORTED PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND 
IN A MEETING WITH POLOFF, SHE HAS CALLED FOR THE PRESIDENT'S 
REPLACEMENT. IN HER REPORTS TO THE PARLIAMENT, MEDENICA HAS SAID 
THE COURTS ARE "INADEQUATE", WITH CASES OFTEN TERMINATED BY THE 
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS AND VERDICTS ISSUED IN CONTRAST TO THE 
EVIDENCE. PRIVATELY, SHE SAID THAT RATKOVIC WAS UNWILLING OR 
UNABLE TO EXERCISE HIS ROLE AS LEADER OF THE COURT SYSTEM, AND 
WAS NOT TAKING STEPS TO ENSURE THAT JUDGES WERE TACKLING THEIR 
CASE LOAD. SHE NOTED A TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS CASE THAT HAS LAIN 
DORMANT FOR OVER TEN MONTHS AFTER THE ARRESTS, AND CIVIL CASES 
THAT ARE A DECADE OLD. NOTE: IF RATKOVIC DID STEP DOWN, THAT 
WOULD RESULT IN FOUR SUPREME COURT PRESIDENTS IN LESS THAN THREE 
YEARS. END NOTE. 
 
 
 
POLITICAL INFLUENCE IN APPOINTMENTS, CORRUPTION 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
 
 
¶8. (U) ALL OBSERVERS NOTED TO POLOFF THE DELETERIOUS ROLE OF 
POLITICS IN APPOINTING JUDGES.  CURRENTLY, A JUDICIAL COUNCIL 
(ITSELF COMPOSED OF SITTING JUDGES), PROPOSES CANDIDATES FOR THE 
BENCH TO THE PARLIAMENT.  THE PARLIAMENT THEN VOTES ON 
INDIVIDUAL CANDIDATES, AND OFTEN REJECTS COUNCIL CANDIDATES 
DEEMED INSUFFICIENTLY CONNECTED TO THE RULING POLITICAL PARTIES. 
 SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM VARY, HOWEVER, AND REMAIN A 
CONTROVERSIAL SUBJECT IN THE CURRENT PARLIAMENTARY DISCUSSIONS 
OVER THE NEW DRAFT CONSTITUTION.  THE OMBUDSMAN, A FORMER JUDGE, 
WOULD GIVE PARLIAMENT THE SOLE ROLE.  CONVERSELY, THE PRESIDENT 
OF THE BAR ASSOCIATION WOULD REMOVE PARLIAMENT'S ROLE, AND HAVE 
THE JUDICIAL COUNCIL RECOMMEND CANDIDATES TO THE PRESIDENT OF 
MONTENEGRO. BOTH PROPOSALS HAVE ALSO BEEN RAISED IN PARLIAMENT. 
NO MONTENEGRINS MENTIONED TO POLOFF THE CREATION AND ADHERENCE 
TO HIGHER PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR SELECTING JUDGES, EVEN 
THOUGH THIS HAS BEEN PROPOSED PREVIOUSLY BY USG-FUNDED "RULE OF 
LAW" PROGRAMS. 
 
 
 
DONOR ASSISTANCE 
 
---------------- 
 
 
 
¶9. (U) DONOR ASSISTANCE, TO DATE PRIMARILY FROM THE USG AND THE 
COUNCIL OF EUROPE, HAS ADVANCED THE STATE OF THE JUDICIARY. 
USAID PROGRAMS HELPED IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE APPEALS AND 
ADMINISTRATIVE COURTS, AND CREATED VERY SUCCESSFUL PILOT 
PROGRAMS THAT ESSENTIALLY ELIMINATED ALL BACKLOGS IN TWO LOCAL 
COURTS. OTHER USAID PROGRAMS PLACED EXPERIENCED MONTENEGRIN 
JUDGES IN U.S. COURTS AS PROFESSIONAL INTERNS.  DEPARTMENT OF 
JUSTICE OPDAT PROGRAMS, INCLUDING THE PLACEMENT FOR SIX MONTHS 
OF AN EXPERIENCED U.S. FEDERAL ORGANIZED PROSECUTORS IN THE 
STATE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, IMPROVED MONTENEGRO'S ABILITY TO 
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PODGORICA 00000061  003.6 OF 003 
 
 
PROSECUTE DIFFICULT CASES, INCLUDING THOSE INVOLVING ORGANIZED 
CRIME.  THE USAID PROGRAM WILL END ON MARCH 31, 2007; THE OPDAT 
PROGRAM CONTINUES, BUT WITH A LOWER PACE OF ACTIVITIES. 
 
 
 
¶10. (U) THE EU'S CORDS PROGRAM IS INCREASING IN SIZE AND BUDGET, 
AS MONTENEGRO LOOKS TO SIGN ITS INTERIM STABILIZATION AND 
ACCESSION AGREEMENT (SAA) IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THE MULTI-MILLION 
EURO ANNUAL PROGRAMS WILL INCLUDE A "RULE OF LAW" COMPONENT, 
CURRENTLY BEING DESIGNED; THIS IS A NEW AREA FOR EU ASSISTANCE 
IN MONTENEGRO. 
 
 
 
COMMENT 
 
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¶11. (U) ONE FUNDAMENTAL MUST CHANGE TO IMPROVE THE JUDICIARY IN 
MONTENEGRO: BETTER JUDGES.  STRUCTURAL WEAKNESSES IN THE COURTS, 
PREVALENT TEN YEARS AGO, HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED (MANY THROUGH USG 
ASSISTANCE).  THE NEXT STEP MUST BE TAKEN BY THE MONTENEGRINS: 
REQUIRING BETTER QUALIFIED JUDICIAL CANDIDATES, TO BE ATTRACTED 
BY BETTER WORKING CONDITIONS (HIGHER PAY, MORE STAFF, FEWER 
MATTERS NOT REQUIRING A JUDGE AND COURTROOM TO RESOLVE), AND 
BETTER TRAINING TO IMPROVE AND MAINTAIN THEIR SKILLS ONCE IN 
OFFICE.  TO TAKE THAT STEP WILL REQUIRE THE GOM AND PARLIAMENT 
TO MUSTER THE POLITICAL WILL TO IMPOSE HIGHER STANDARDS, LIMIT 
THEIR OWN INFLUENCE, AND SPEND MORE OF THE BUDGET ON THE COURTS. 
END COMMENT.BARNES 
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