Remaining committed to dialogue and cooperation with international partners as an important precondition for further development of the Agency for Prevention of Corruption, Director Jelena Perović, President of the APC’s Council Momčilo Radulović and Assistant Director Boris Vukašinović met with the Ambassador of the French Republic to Montenegro H. E. Christian Thimonier.

In an open and meaningful conversation, President Radulović presented the strategic basis laid by the new Council, appointed in July 2019, identifying transparency and a proactive approach as priorities in acting. They emphasized the need and importance for the Agency, as a preventive institution, to send clear messages to the public, and to, by establishing its actions in the law, make a visible contribution to upgrading the environment of the rule of law.

Director Perović acquainted her interlocutor with the organizational structure and the new systematization, which envisages staff strengthening aimed at improving efficiency and effectiveness and more complete use of capacity.

In addition to the expressed satisfaction with the cooperation with Euro-Atlantic partners, they also talked about the legislative framework in which the Agency operates, which consists of the Law on Prevention of Corruption, the Law on Financing of Political Entities and Election Campaigns and the Law on Lobbying. Along with numerous examples from practice, the space for its improvement was recognized, along with information on the activities undertaken by the Agency in that direction.

The meeting also mentioned the recently signed International Treaty on Exchange of Data for the Verification of Asset Declarations, as an important mechanism in the fight against corruption.

Expressing full support for the work of the Agency, His Excellency was interested in the way in which the French Embassy can help, primarily in providing expert services. It was agreed that the next joint steps will include the concretization of cooperation.