TI Says Montenegro Chief Wrongly Dismissed from Anti-Corruption Agency

The firing by Parliament of Vanja Ćalović Marković, head of Transparency International’s Montenegro chapter from the country’s anti-corruption board was political retribution because of her fight against corruption, the agency said, even as a court hasn’t ruled in a conflict of interest case against her.

The court won’t take up her case until July 17 and she still hasn’t been given a chance to respond to the allegations, TI noted, contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights.

More than 40 NGOs earlier urged lawmakers to wait for the court decision before voting on Ćalović Marković’s dismissal but were ignored, TI said, raising questions previously brought by the European Commission in this year’s report on the country.

The report highlights challenges around conflict of interest cases, particularly those concerning members of civil society organizations and media, including the public broadcaster, RTCG, and the Council of the Agency for Electronic Media, said TI.

The agency said it has added more political pressure on its chapter in Montenegro, MANS, undermines citizens’ trust in political institutions and will hinder the country’s hopes of joining the European Union.

Markovic had filed suit against the country’s Agency for Preventing Corruption after it said there was a conflict between her position on the board while also serving as the head of TI’s board.

Markovic claimed the conflict of interest accusation was unfounded and that her removal was “malicious” and politically motivated, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) said and that she has been smeared by pro-government newspapers.

While on the anti-corruption agency, she had criticized its head and the board for failing to take more aggressive action against crime and corruption.