The Constitutional Court of Montenegro and the AIRE Centre, with the support of the United Kingdom Government and the British Embassy in Podgorica, organised professional training for the advisors of the Constitutional Court. The lecture was delivered by the Vice-President of the European Court of Human Rights, Judge Ivana Jelić, focusing on the application of the standards of the European Court of Human Rights in the constitutional jurisprudence of Montenegro.
The President of the Constitutional Court of Montenegro, Snežana Armenko, highlighted the importance of the training for the further work of the institution: “In a moment when the Constitutional Court is facing complex constitutional and legal issues, an increased workload and heightened public attention, it is particularly important that we continuously strengthen our capacities in the field of human rights protection. Cooperation with the European Court of Human Rights and the exchange of experience represent valuable support in improving the quality of our decisions and strengthening public trust in the work of the Court.”
Cooperation with Judge Jelić comes at a time when the Constitutional Court recognises the need for additional methodological and analytical improvements in the application of European standards. Thanks to her long-standing experience in shaping ECtHR case-law, Judge Jelić will convey practical knowledge and recommendations applicable in everyday constitutional adjudication.
The Vice-President of the European Court of Human Rights, Ivana Jelić, emphasised the importance of strong national institutions in the protection of human rights: “The Constitutional Court has a key role in safeguarding constitutionality and protecting the fundamental rights of citizens. I am pleased to contribute to strengthening its capacities through dialogue on relevant case-law of the European Court and the challenges judges face daily. High-quality, consistent and persuasive constitutional reasoning is the basis of public trust in institutions.”
She also underlined the importance of sharing good practices.
“In this context, I particularly wish to emphasise that achieving the rule of law is an indispensable condition for the effective protection of human rights. This implies not only the formal respect of constitutional guarantees, but also the consistent application of the standards developed in the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights and the Court of Justice of the European Union. Their application in the work of national institutions represents the foundation of legal certainty, predictability and equality of citizens before the law,” Judge Jelić noted.
Vanja Radević, representative of the AIRE Centre, highlighted that this activity confirms long-term commitment to strengthening constitutional jurisprudence in Montenegro: “Such activities directly contribute to improving the work of institutions, strengthening their professional and analytical capacities, and enabling them to respond more effectively to contemporary challenges in the field of human rights protection. We must make use of the experts we have, who are recognised in Europe, and who can contribute to strengthening Montenegro’s institutions. Therefore, many thanks to Judge Jelić for participating in today’s training.”
The training addressed contemporary challenges in human rights protection through the analysis of current case-law of the European Court of Human Rights, with particular focus on the constitutional context of Montenegro. Participants examined the right to public office as a civil right, the right of access to a court, and the standards of non-discrimination and ensuring equality before the law. Through Judge Ivana Jelić’s presentations, key legal standards, trends and dilemmas shaping modern judicial protection of human rights were presented.
