A delegation of the Council of Europe's Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) carried out an evaluation visit to Montenegro from 2 to 5 March 2020 as part of the third evaluation round of the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. The focus of this evaluation round of the Convention is on trafficking victims’ access to justice and effective remedies. In addition to the new thematic focus, GRETA is examining how the main recommendations made in its second evaluation report on Montenegro have been implemented.
During the visit, the GRETA delegation met representatives of the Office for the Fight against Trafficking in Human Beings, the Police Directorate, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights, the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism, the Labour Inspectorate, and the Employment Agency. Meetings were also held prosecutors, judges from the Supreme Court and the High Court of Podgorica, and representatives of the Centre for Training of the Judiciary and State Prosecution and of the Police Academy. Further, discussions were held with members of the Parliament of Montenegro and the Ombudsman’s Office.
In addition, meetings were held with representatives of non-governmental organisations, the Bar Association and the Union of Employers of Montenegro. The GRETA delegation also met representatives of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF).
In the course of the visit, the GRETA delegation visited the specialised shelter for victims of trafficking in human beings and the Children’s Home in Bijela.
The visit was carried out by the Ms Julia Planitzer and Mr Mihai Şerban, members of GRETA, who were accompanied by Ms Petya Nestorova, Executive Secretary of the Convention.
Following the visit, GRETA will prepare a draft report which will be sent to the Montenegrin authorities for comments. GRETA will subsequently adopt a final report, to be published in early 2021.
