"Such a trend is worrying and is already reflected in the very character of the process: civil society insists on values and standards, while the authorities prioritize speed and technical harmonisation. However, speed without content does not bring the transformative potential that the European integration process can and must have," she adds.
Uljarević concluded that, despite numerous challenges, there is a core of strong, vocal and credible civil society in Montenegro, which is confirmed by the fact that these organizations enjoy greater public trust than individual key institutions.
During the meeting, it was assessed that it is necessary to significantly improve the relationship towards civil society through its more consistent respect and more active involvement in processes of public importance. It was pointed out that the experiences of EU member states clearly confirm that without a strong and autonomous civil sector there is no stable and consolidated democracy. In this context, the need to abandon practices that discourage or marginalize civic initiatives was emphasized, as well as to create an enabling environment in which #CSOs will be able to make a full contribution to the development of society and the strengthening of democratic standards.
