Montenegro 

Former head of Montenegro’s Anti-Corruption Agency ASK, Jelena Perovic, was sentenced to 26 months in prison for abuse of office and falsifying an official document, her deputy, Nina Paovic, to 6 months of house arrest for abuse of office; both were fined

Montenegro’s plan to commemorate victims of a World War II concentration camp in Jasenovac has drawn sharp criticism from Croatia, reigniting tensions between the neighbours and risking a setback in recently improving relations

Overcrowding at Montenegro’s main psychiatric hospital is under public scrutiny, as some patients are forced to sleep on mattresses on the floor, children are treated alongside adults, and forensic patients are confined far longer than necessary

Montenegro will be first country to join the European Union under the new safeguards designed to ensure all new members uphold agreed democratic standards, preventing backsliding on the bloc’s values

Amendments to the Law on Internal Affairs and a new Law on the National Security Agency adopted by parliament prompted warnings from civil society groups and European officials about potential risks to the rule of law and Montenegro’s EU accession process

The number of foreign nationals working in Montenegro has almost doubled since 2017 in response to a widening shortage of labour in the country; authorities and employers intensity efforts to fill gaps in the legal framework and the jobs market

Former Supreme Court Chief has been convicted of corruption for allegedly protecting a criminal network led by her son and of abusing her position to exert unlawful influence over the judiciary

Police in Montenegro say AI is fuelling a rise in identity abuse, and celebrity endorsement sees a surge in case, but holding online fraudsters to account can be complicated

Internet banking is getting more and more popular and online fraud, particularly phishing, is on the rise in Montenegro, costing victims millions; cybersecurity experts warn of deceptive messages, almost identical to those of a trusted institution

Visa-free regime for Turkish citizens in Montenegro will be abandoned, as per EU requests and following a violent incident involving Turkish citizens, whose number in the country has risen in recent years

The Pljevlja Coal Mine is launching the production of personal protective equipment as part of the Just Transition and Business Transformation Plan; the new facility will employ 20 workers, with theoretical and practical training begins this week

Montenegro will probably be the first among the current candidate countries to join the EU according to annual Enlargement Package reported presented yesterday in Brussels by the EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos