CDT in 2016
When it comes to work intensity it is difficult to compare 2016 year with the previous years.
The year of complicated political situation in Montenegro, local and parliamentary elections required extraordinary energy and commitment of the whole team of CDT.
We dealt with all significant topics for improving political environment in Montenegro but activities of civil monitoring of elections are the most visible.
A key question we asked ourselves in the end of 2016 is what we achieved and how we contributed to the change we want.
Our system of measuring performance gave us the answer – we achieved results and we are satisfied with them.
The proposal for changing measurement of country efficiency is adopted, we helped the judiciary to be more transparent, we contributed to reducing of tensions in the electoral period…
It was based on a consistent and proper working and directing resources towards achieving our mission and vision.
We are still among leaders of transparency in the world of research centres.
In 2016 an international initiative Transparify gave us “five stars” for transparency. Our success was contributed by those who cooperated with and supported us.
Citizens, domestic and foreign partner organizations, media, institutions, parties, international foundations, organizations and diplomatic representations.
PROGRAM AREA – ELECTIONS
OUR RESULTS
We actively participated in the dialogue on fair and free elections, indicated law violations during the electoral campaign and contributed to a better implementation of electoral legislation through a participation in working groups, preparation of analyses, assessments and recommendations.
We monitored how the Agency for Prevention of Corruption, state bodies, companies and local self-governments implement electoral laws and we affected transparency and legality increasing in the area of financing parties and campaigns.
We increased informing citizens about new electoral rules and promoted their rights to vote in elections without pressure.
Also, we educated almost two thousands of graduates in Montenegro about electoral rights.
Through online channels of communication and activities in media public was timely and objectively informed about identified violations of electoral procedure and irregularities during the election day.
We contributed to reducing of tensions during the election night while timely informing about independent projections of the election results.
PROJECTS – ELECTIONS
Civil monitoring of elections
Through a participation in a working group of the Ministry of Interior for controlling an electoral roll CDT monitored a process of applying AFIS system and accuracy of the electoral roll. Also, we monitored a work of the body for conducting elections.
In cooperation with the agency Arhimed, we monitored how much parties are promoted on commercial TVs and in print media. The analysis shown that amounts which parties paid for advertising are significantly higher from those ones registered in reports.
After several months of preparation for monitoring of election day, our monitors and mobile teams had access to 989 polling stations.
Using PVT method, CDT published the first projection of results around 22h while the final results, based on 100% of sample, were published after an hour.
PROJECTS – ELECTIONS
Building trust in elections
We monitored the implementation of the Law on financing of political entities and election campaigns and after that we submitted 387 complaints to the Agency for Prevention of Corruption.
We monitored the work of the Agency for Prevention of Corruption, signed Memorandum on cooperation with the Agency and analyzed its work and role in the electoral period as well.
PROJECTS – ELECTIONS
Campaign “Vote freely”
Through traditional and new media the message “Vote freely” reached hundreds of thousands of Montenegrin citizens and thereby we reminded them that their right to a free choice during voting is inviolable.
In order to encourage citizens to report if their right is violated, we signed Memorandum on cooperation with VDT and cooperated with the office of Ombudsman as well.
Through public events in pre-election period with representatives from institutions we initiated a dialogue regarding the most significant issues for conducting democratic elections.
Additionally, in cooperation with four local NGOs (Fenomeni, OzON, Aktivna zona, Budva 2020) we informed citizens about electoral rights and procedure of voting.
In cooperation with Viber we created Viber Public Chat during the parliamentary elections and it allowed us to more objectively inform citizens about electoral issues.
PROJECTS – ELECTIONS
Mapping electoral results
Given that the State Election Commission (SEC) publishes election results in a non-adequate form and does not enable citizens to have a simple insight into data, we mapped all polling stations in Montenegro and on the website – www.izbori.co.me all interested stakeholders have a possibility to search and compare election results.
PROGRAM AREA – GOOD GOVERNANCE
OUR RESULTS
Our recommendations for a better coordination of policies of the Government of Montenegro are classified in the Action plan for the Public Administration Reform Strategy 2016-2020 in Montenegro.
The implementation of recommendations will contribute to increasing of accountability and transparency of the Government through the improvement of a system of planning of policies and measuring of their performance and effects.
In 2016 we contributed to the judiciary openness through measuring transparency of courts and advocating recommendations for improvement of state in this area.
In cooperation with a regional network ACTIONSEE we created a methodology, which will measure openness of all branches of power on national and local levels in MNE, but also in the regional countries.
PROJECTS – GOOD GOVERNANCE
Fighting corruption in the Balkans
In cooperation with SELDI network we conducted a research regarding corruption, grey economy and governance in the sector of energetics in Southeast Europe.
Policies, studies and the Civil Society Strategy and Joint Strategic Programme for Good Governance and Anti-Corruption in Southeast Europe until 2020 were created on the basis of research results.
PROJECTS – GOOD GOVERNANCE
Regional index of openness
By preparation of a methodology for researching openness of all branches of power in Montenegro and in region, with regional network ACTION SEE, we started the first comprehensive research, which will show a level of institutions’ openness in the countries of the Western Balkans.
PROGRAM AREA – GOOD GOVERNANCE
Open judiciary
With monitoring of transparency of Montenegrin courts and creation of recommendations for the improvement, we prepared a study, which will contribute to allignment of judicial rulings with the practice of the European Court of Human Rights.
Also, within this project we organized trainings regarding public relations for representatives of Montenegrin judiciary.
PROGRAM AREA – GOOD GOVERNANCE
Visualization of property records
In order to make property records more transparent and present its content to citizens in an understandable manner, in 2016 we made a website – www.konflikiinteresa.me.
On the website property records of the Government’s members, showing financial state of decision-makers, are presented.
However, unclear and inaccurate data from property records of officials, who performed their fuctions in the previous 10 years, still represent a problem.
PROJECTS – GOOD GOVERNANCE
Openness of prosecution
Within activities about increasing of prosecution’s openness we participated in a preparation of Communication strategy of prosecution in order to contribute to improving of the institution’s cooperation with media.
Also, we organized the conference where heads of prosecution, media editors, representatives of NGO sector from Montenegro and region participated.
PROGRAM AREA – INTEGRATION
OUR RESULTS
In 2016, when Montenegro was invited to join NATO, it was of a crucial importance to continue with encouraging argumentative dialogue and objective informing of citizens about Euro-Atlantic integrations.
Because of that we had a number of activities – from events in Info center, numerous activities on terrain and direct communication with a huge number of citizens to the campaign in online and traditional media.
Through researches, info graphics and attendance in NATO summit in Warsaw we explained to citizens significant topics from NATO integrations area, which were differently interpreted in public.
We researched transparency of the intelligence and proposed recommendations for improvement of this area by a policy.
We also controlled if institutions meet obligations from annual national plans (ANP) and negotiations with NATO, as well as obligations from Action plan for negotiations with the EU within the negotiating Chapter 24 (justice, freedom and safety)
PROJECTS – INTEGRATION
NATO after Warsaw: influence on Montenegro
In Podgorica we organised the conference “NATO after Warsaw: influence on Motenegro“ which gathered representatives of authority and opposition, experts from Montenegro and region, journalists and representatives of civil sector.
The aim of the conference was initiating a new kind of dialogue regarding NATO – from the position of a responsible and full-fledged member of the Alliance.
PROJECTS – INTEGRATIONS
And in the Info center…
In order to stimulate debate about future membership of Montenegro in NATO, we organized citizen hours, where representatives of authority and opposition and representatives from institutions participated, then info points, workshops for local communities, public debates…
PROGRAM AREA – CIVIL SOCIETY
OUR RESULTS
We continued with activities directed towards improvement of conditions for work and development of civil society organizations as well as a direct involving and informing citizens about specific topics from this area.
Through a participation in public debates and cooperation with Open platform we tried to affect changes of legal framework regarding OCD work.
We continued with monitoring of civil sector progress through the preparation of CSO Sustainability Index.
Through organizing various events, workshops and panel discussion we enabled citizens of Podgorica and Niksic to affect and participate in the preparation of local budgets and determination of priorities for financing in their own local communities.
Within the participation in the work of the Commission for allocation of a part of revenues from games of chance we tried to affect the improvement of transparency and quality of process for allocation of revenues for projects of NGOs.
We continued with activities for creating conditions for building Civil Society House (in cooperation with Civil Alliance, fAKT and with support of Rockefeller Brothers Fund) as a new resource center, which will contribute to creating of more open and incentive environment for acting of CSO, improve intersectoral cooperation and enable increasing of public influence, significance and visibility of CSO activities.
PROJECTS – CIVIL SOCIETY
CSO Sustainability Index
CSO Sustainability Index is an analytical instrument measuring the progress of civil society in the region of Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia.
It is intended for assessing progress of civil sector since it examines the overall environment for the development of civil society through seven dimensions: legal framework, organizational capacity, financial sustainability, advocacy, providing services, infrastructure and public image of CSO.
PROJECTS – CIVIL SOCIETY
Your town, your money, your choice
In cooperation with the Environmental movement “OZON” we organized workshops for citizens of Niksic about participatory budget and way of participating in the decision-making process.
We also organized a panel discussion for collecting citizens’ proposals on creating the budget of the Capital city.
CDT TEAM
Thank you for your trust.
We hope that we will continue with cooperation towards achieving joint aims.
CDT team