ANNUAL REPORT 2004

As part of the process of reforming the judiciary, prosecution practices, and criminal legislation, FOSIM organized discussions on draft laws dealing with witness protection and court room fees.  The Foundation also helped projects that monitored and assessed the implementation of  a political party finance law, and offered support to commercial courts in gaining access to information to help improve their practice and performance, such as New Commercial Law in Practice.

In order to enable public information/transparency of local governance reform, the Public Administration and Local Government Program supported local NGOs to devise and conduct public opinion surveys to identify what information the public needed.  Poll results provided a basis for a series of program-organized public discussions to raise public awareness on new legislation and citizens’ participation in decision making. To help improve the delivery of government services, the program provided professional development training for civil servants and equipped City Bureaus in two local government offices with modern software and information technology. As part of its European Integrations sub-program, FOSIM organized the EU Integration School, an intensive five-month training that educated NGO and civil service personnel about EU standards.

To integrate young Roma into the school system, the Roma program assisted with the successful implementation of the Roma Education Initiative project. The project was piloted in three kindergartens and four primary schools in three municipalities resulting in a 40 percent higher enrolment rate of Romani elementary school students in selected sites. The REI project also helped make kindergartens in two cities accessible for Romani children for the first time. The Foundation helped Romani NGOs in Montenegro become significant players in activities for the Action Plan for Decade of Roma Inclusion by sponsoring meetings to help better articulate the needs of the Roma community.

Challenging violence against women and advancing women’s rights were also important priorities. As a result of organizing a wide range of local level organizations, the Women’s Program helped get five Montenegrin municipalities to sign a memorandum of cooperation for establishing a network of SOS telephones and local institutions to help victims of domestic violence. The program also supported projects that promoted the integration of Romani women into society. Gender and education issue were addressed through support for the Women’s Info-Doc Center and the alternative program of women’s studies. The Program dealt with education issues by designing and organizing a regional conference of NGOs and textbook publishers that focused on gender stereotypes in primary school textbooks. Activities and proposals that emerged from the conference included an initiative for a regional approach to stereotyping issues and development of a set of guidelines based on comprehensive survey of existing textbooks in order to avoid gender stereotyping in new textbooks developed during the education reform process.

EDUCATION REFORM PROGRAMME

Programme Coordinator: Maja Kovacevic

The Education Reform Programme in 2004 has focused on providing support to government institutions and non-governmental organizations implementing programmes in this field.

Conscious that success of planned changes will largely depend on the level of preparation of teachers and their readiness to adopt and implement them, we have particularly focused on different forms of teacher training, as the pillar of the education reform. In this regard we have supported the Bureau for Education - an institution designed to contribute to the establishment of a good quality, successful and sustainable educational system - towards developing its institutional and organizational capacity and human resources required to enable introduction of numerous and demanding changes prepared over the past few years.

A successful and fruitful cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science, which in the field of education reform started in 2000, has continued through a series of activities, among which we would particularly emphasize those realized through the Capacity Building Programme and through support for Montenegro’s participation in the OECD Project on International Student Assessment (PISA project). 

Also, the support we have provided to the Department for Textbooks and Teaching Aids in preparing good quality textbooks for the first grade of the nine-grade elementary school has been a natural continuation of the many years of our cooperation with this institution and the Foundation’s involvement in the education reform from the outset.

1. In partnership with the Bureau for Education, the Foundation has been involved and has provided financial and expert support for a series of projects that can be divided into several areas:

a) Building institutional and organizational capacity, as well as human resources and preparation for the education reform implementation

• Establishing a system of descriptive marking in the first cycle of the nine-year elementary school (1st, 2nd and 3rd grade), development of rules and organization of seminars for class teachers and preschool teachers. EUR: 11,985

• Developing and putting in place a system of external assessment of the knowledge of pupils through the project of a Republic-wide testing of educational achievement of pupils attending 3^rd grade of elementary school: EUR 21,195

• Organization of a three-day seminar and training for the Bureau for Education and the Centre for Vocational Education in the field of curricula evaluation: EUR 6,026.37

• Quality assurance – pilot programme for establishment of a uniform and standardized system of quality assurance: EUR 8,557

• Developing a Teacher’s Guide through inter-subject fields – civic and ecological education EUR: 5,940

• Creating a methodological framework for a reformed school – preparing subject curricula, editing and preparation for publication, translating and providing information for the professional community and general public: EUR 15,040

• Translation and adaptation of a book on different forms of pupil behaviour entitled "Do you know why the VIII-2 walked out of the class": EUR 5,600

• Evaluation research into realization of objectives of the new curriculum in the first grade of elementary school in school year 2004/05 [39.8KB] - (Publications): EUR 5,392.

b) Informing the professional community and general public

• Preparation, editing and publication of the elementary school and high school curricula and designing the web page of the Bureau for Education: EUR 19,767

• Drafting, preparing and publishing of the Strategic Plan of the Bureau for Education: EUR 3,770

• Preparation of a brochure on the activity of the Bureau for Education - (Publikations): EUR 4,170 

• Preparation and publication of the Information Bulletin on the Nine-Year Elementary School [577KB] - (Publications): EUR 4,900.

• The book of rights and responsibilities of pupils attending the nine-year elementary school: EUR 3,300 (using funds remaining from the project for establishment of a descriptive marking system in the cycle 1 of the nine-year school.)

c) Teacher training for the  implementation of new curricula and methodology

• In cooperation with the British Council training of English language teachers for work with children aged 6 to 9:  EUR 3,460.

• In cooperation with the British Council training of trainers in English language teaching in secondary schools: EUR 12,940 - Photo Gallery»»

• Training of preschool teachers and class teachers in grade 1 of the new nine-year school in modern didactic methodology ("Step by Step" programme): EUR 5,220

• Professional development of staff services in a pilot school – seminar for pedagogues and psychologists: EUR 2,650

• Training of teachers for the reformed school – introducing teachers to the new curricula: EUR 13,000.

2. In close cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science, the Foundation has supported the following activities:

• Final presentation of the work of the National Curriculum Council: EUR 2,056

• With financial and expert assistance of the World Bank, drafting of a strategy and establishment of the Examination Centre of Montenegro: EUR 5,851

• Implementation of the PISA project (OECD project of international assessment of pupil/student achievement): EUR 20,000

• Ensuring expert analysis and support in the process of preparation of project documents for the World Bank loan for education: EUR 800

• Purchasing textbooks for pupils of grades 5, 6, 7 and 8 of elementary schools included in the project "Roma Education Initiative ": EUR 10,508.50

• Additional support to the project "Roma Education Initiative in Montenegro", implemented within the framework of the FOSI ROM Roma Programme - EUR 5,850

• With the support of the Ministry of Education and Science and the Bureau for Education, NGO Centre for Creative Communication "Logos" has been carrying out a project entitled "Montenegro TV Debate League", promoting critical thinking and openness and flexibility in the education system through debate methodology: EUR 5,325.

3. Working with the Department for Textbooks and Teaching Aids, Podgorica, the Foundation has implemented several joint projects:

• Publishing Mathematics and Nature-and-Society textbooks for grade 1 of the nine-year elementary school: EUR 10,000

• Publishing Music and Arts textbooks and teacher manuals: EUR 15,688.32

• Purchasing picture-books for children attending preschool education in Albanian language: EUR 3,061.

4. The Foundation enabled participation of Montenegro in the following regional projects:

• With the support of OSEP – SEE (regional centre of the Open Society Institute for support to education reform in South East Europe) the Foundation provides funds for Montenegro’s participation in the regional project of the OSI Education Network under the working title "The Book of Changes in Education in Southeast Europe"(US$7,000 from OSEP SEE funds)

• With the support and assistance of SEE ECN, with headquarters in Ljubljana (South East Europe educational cooperation network), a study visit has been organized for the Working Group in charge of drafting a strategy for the establishment of the Examination Centre of Montenegro (US$ 1,100 from the SEE ECN funds)

5. With the support of the OSEP SEE office, which has been working closely with a large number of renowned European and regional experts, the Foundation has engaged following experts with a view to supporting local reform teams:

• Dr Mica Kovac Sebart, Faculty of Philosophy, Ljubljana, expert in educational development

• Vladimir Mileksic, Bureau for Education, Slovenia, expert in descriptive marking and elementary education

• Dr Algirdas Zabulionis, Vilnius University, Litvania, expert in external assessment

• Dr Aleksandar Baucal, Dr Dijana Plut, Aleksandra Stanic, M.A., Dragica Pavlovic-Babic, M.A, Ksenija Krstic and Svjetlana Petrovic from the Faculty of Philosophy, Belgrade, experts in evaluation in education and external testing of pupil achievement

• Ugljesa Gvozden and Dejan Velimirovic, Education Evaluation Centre, Belgrade, experts in statistical analysis and external test conducting

• Hugh McLean, OSI Budapest, expert in evaluation in education

• Gordana Miljevic, expert in the field of cooperation with international and donor organizations.

OSEP SEE has provided approx. EUR 22,000 for expert assistance to education reform in Montenegro, while the Foundation has provided funds for travel and accommodation expenses amounting to EUR 2,687.

6. The Foundation has also supported the work of the NGO "Pedagogical Centre of Montenegro", by allocating under the Agreement on the Implementation of the "Step by Step" programme the amount of US$ 68,000, i.e. half of the annual funds required, while the remaining half amounting to US$ 68,000 has been provided by OSI New York network programme.

The total funds invested in the Education Reform Programme amount to EUR 259,267.82 and US$ 136,000. Out of this amount the Foundation in Montenegro has invested EUR 231,767.82 and US$ 68,000, the OSEP SEE regional centre provided EUR 27,500, while the OSI New York network programme invested US$ 68,000.

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROGRAMME

Programme Coordinator: Bego Begu

In 2004 through the Public Administration and Local Government Programme. FOSI-ROM has supported reforms in the field of public administration and local government, implementation of regulations, public debates, training of state administration/local government civil servants and NGO activists with a view to building up their professional and technical expertise and abilities and establishment of citizen bureaus in two municipalities. Particular attention has been given to providing information for the general public on the reform and its specific segments, public opinion polls relating to the course of reforms, cooperation with other organizations in the reform process through joint donations and activities, strengthening of the European idea of the movement in Montenegro, familiarizing with the structure and standards of the EU, as well as to promoting the Communication Strategy of the Republic of Montenegro in the process of stabilization and association to the EU. 

1. Build-up of professional and technical expertise and abilities of civil servants and establishment of citizen bureaus in municipalities of northern Montenegro.

• Citizen bureau with information centre in the municipality of Pljevlja. The objective of the project is to improve the services that local authorities provide for the citizens. A Citizen bureau with Information Centre (modern information equipment and a registry office program) is a first step towards creating a single information system at the level of the municipality, thus facilitating the process of providing service to the citizen. Automatic voice mail makes possible getting information concerning municipal affairs by phone, which is particularly important for citizens of the rural area of the municipality of Pljevlja, which occupies an area of  1,346 sq.km. The municipality of Pljevlja has refurbished the premises and provided all the equipment except for the computer equipment. - EUR 16,265.

• Citizen bureau in the Municipality of Rozaje, EUR 20,000.

• Registry Office in the municipality of Pljevlja. The goal of the project is a better response to citizens’ needs for services through an improved quality of service that the local government provides to the citizens in the field of registry records (birth/marriage/death certificates, certificates of citizenship, attestations,). FOSI ROM has supported purchasing of equipment for the registry office and training for the staff of the registry office and citizen bureau in the field of personal communication skills and communication of the municipality with the citizens. The municipality of Pljevlja has provided funds for refurbishment of the premises and purchasing of software. - EUR 4,800.

• Training of inspectorates of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management - applicant NGO Agency for Local Democracy and Partnership of Montenegro -ALDPCG. The Parliament of the Republic of Montenegro has passed in 2003 the Law on Inspection Control (Official Gazette of RM 39/03) and the Law on General Administrative Procedure (Official Gazette of RM 60/03). The Project is designed to enable inspectors of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management - through three two-day seminars - to understand the procedure of inspection control, implement the laws in their specific field, implement the above laws during conducting control, i.e. implement the Law on Inspection Control through preparing administrative acts, decisions, conclusions, minutes, etc. EUR 13,587.

2. Public debates on laws and by-laws

• Round Table on draft Law on Territorial Organization of the Republic of Montenegro, project implemented together with the Council of Europe and the Ministry of Justice of RM. The objective of the project is to facilitate, with expert assistance of the Council of Europe, an exchange of views on the proposed Draft Law and collate this with Council of Europe standards and the European positive practice. The Round Table participants included: the Ministry of Justice Working Group in charge of drafting the Law, representatives of the Council of Europe, representatives of ministries, political parties, media, etc. - EUR 2,310

• Citizen participation in local government decision-making, applicant NGO Civic Information and Education Centre, Cetinje. This project envisages organization of 9 public debates with presentation of preliminary draft by-laws (Statute, Rules of Procedure of the Assembly of the Historical Capital, Decision on Local Population Participation in Conducting Public Affairs, Decision on Municipal Communities, Decision on Local Government, decision on Local Government Agencies, Decision on Municipal Police, Decision on Using the Emblems of the Historical Capital, Decision on Seals). The goal of the project is that the citizens of Cetinje become aware of the content of the first drafts of decision and are able to give their comments, proposals and suggestions. Completion of the public debate process will be followed by publication of a brochure containing final texts of decisions adopted, along with information on the number of citizen proposals and suggestions that have been made part of the final decisions. – EUR 6,700

• Citizen participation in decision-making by the local government of Ulcinj, applicant NGO Civic Information and Education Centre, Ulcinj. The Project envisages organization of 9  public debates with presentation of preliminary drafts of by-laws and printing of a bilingual publication containing final text of decisions adopted.- EUR 8,010. (Photo Gallery»»)

• Reforms in local government: Decision on the manner and procedures of local population participation in conducting public affairs and Decision on Municipal Communities, applicant NGO Civil Action, Berane. Two Q&A events/public debates on the municipal decisions have been organized.- EUR 1,670

• Citizen participation in the local assembly decision-making, applicant NGO Manifesto, Bijelo Polje. The project envisages organization of three Q&A events/public debates on the municipal decisions: Decision on the manner and procedure of local population participation in conducting public affairs; Decision on Municipal Communities; Rules of Procedure of the Municipal Assembly - EUR 2,621.

3. Build-up of professional and technical expertise and skills of the NGO sector representatives

• Writing effective public policy documents. The project is designed to help the NGO sector to better articulate recommendations to public policy-makers. The seminar held as part of the project brought together representatives of major NGOs/think-tanks from Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo and Albania. They have been introduced to methodology for writing effective public policy documents. On this occasion they have set up a forum for exchange of views on the most important issues in this field and have discussed regional initiatives and possibilities for joint projects. The project has also enabled discussion on modalities for a better and more effective NGO sector participation in reform monitoring, presentation of best examples in development and implementation of Public Advocacy strategy and sharing of experience and discussion on best practices on a common, regional basis, in the context of association to the European Union. – EUR 11,150 ( EUR 6,797 from the Public Administration and Local Government Programme and EUR 3,405 from East-East programme).

• Training of local family violence prevention teams for writing and managing projects in municipalities of Herceg Novi, Berane, Bijelo Polje, Niksic, Podgorica and Ulcinj, applicant NGO SOS Hot Line for Women and Children victims of Violence, Podgorica. The signing of a memorandum on cooperation and participation in the work of multidisciplinary teams between the institutions responsible for tackling the issue of violence against women and children in above municipalities and the SOS Hot Line has created viable conditions for a more effective action aimed at curbing and preventing violence in a local community. The purpose of the project has been to develop the capacity of members of these multidisciplinary teams in the above municipalities for designing and managing projects and create condtions in which they can operate on their own.- EUR 10,290 (EUR 6,174 from Women’s Programme + EUR 4,116 from the Public Administration and Local Government Programme.)

4. Disseminating information on social developments, progress of reforms and their specific segments

• Magazine "Gradjanin"/Citizen/. A civil society magazine, applicant NGO Centre for Development of Non-Governmental Organizations. The magazine "Gradjanin" (former NGO Bulletin) is a monthly that presents the activity of NGOs, giving scope for dialogue between the public, NGO and industry sectors on different issues of economic and political transition of the society. These include issues of European integration, state administration and local government reform, presentation of new legislation and law amendments, issues of gender equity, local initiatives, transition issues, culture of dialogue and tolerance in the society, directives, declarations and recommendations on human and minority rights, issues important for NGO sector development, inter- sectoral cooperation, current trends in the region of Central and Eastern Europe, etc. The magazine represents a tool of education, information and raising awareness on various current issues and processes. Its target audience are non-governmental organizations, public administration and local government, political parties, students and   participants in the courses of the School for Social Change and School of European Integration. The mailing list comprises 2000 addresses – EUR 11,640.

• "Inforeformator", applicant Ministry of Justice. The project’s goal is to bring current developments in the field of legal reform, education reform and public administration and local government reform closer to the citizens, the media and other potentially interested beneficiaries whose professional interests are not such as to make them conversant with reform developments in the legal sphere. The publication is to be printed in 700 copies on a monthly basis and it is also to be made available in electronic version on the web page of the Ministry of Justice – EUR 9,210 (EUR 8,000 from the Law Programme and EUR 1,210 from the Public Administration and Local Government programme.).

• Reporting on the FOSI ROM activities under the programme Public Administration and Local Government. Once translation of the FOSI ROM 2005 Strategy is available, it will be accessible from our web page, so the public will be provided with more detailed information on the Foundation’s activities and its plans for the period ahead, while transparency of the work will also  be enhanced. – EUR 566.

5.   Montenegro Opinion Survey

• "Montenegro Public Opinion in 2004", applicant NGO Centre for Democracy and Human Rights. The projects monitors public opinion on issues that are in the focus of political and social developments in Montenegro, i.e. reforms in several key areas of social and political life, institutions, political parties and leaders; key internationally recognized values; Montenegro state status. Four public opinion polls have been conducted in 2004 at three-month intervals on a sample of 1,000 interviewees. The survey has, inter alia, included attitudes towards major social reforms. In the field of legal reform a survey has been conducted on the reasons for citizens’ loss of trust in judges and the judiciary, in the field of education reform on citizens’ attitudes towards the initiated elementary school reform, and in the field of public administration and local government the objective was to learn to what extent citizens of Montenegro believe that implementation of the legislation on local government would contribute to better addressing municipal problems in their communities. - EUR 52,960.

6. Familiarizing with the structure and standards of the EU and strengthening the European idea in Montenegro.

• The School of European Integration, second generation, applicants: NGO Civic Education Centre, Centre for Development of NGOs and European Movement in Montenegro. The Project is related to the second generation of the "School of European Integration", as a programme of alternative education in the field of ideas, standards and distinctive features of European integration, as well as of European civilization and European heritage in general. In addition to a study of these fields, a goal of the school is also to build up the capacity and skills of participants for undertaking individual or collective activities related to promoting and consolidating European standards in the contemporary Montenegrin society. Implementation of this project will advance the degree of knowledge and understanding of the European Union, as a prerequisite for reaching any social consensus on the process of stabilization and association to the EU. – EUR 28,610 (www.sei.cg.yu)

• Development of cooperation with NGOs in the field of Montenegro communication strategy in the process of association to the EU, applicant Ministry of International Economic Relations and European Integration. In order to enable citizens to better understand the process of the association of Montenegro to the European Union and facilitate their active participation in it the Ministry for International Economic Relations and European Integration has developed, working together with non-governmental organizations, a Communication Strategy of Montenegro in the process of association to the EU. An integral part of the Action Plan for its implementation is this, two-phase project: a) designing and publishing the (bilingual) Communication Strategy and b) designing a special Montenegro European Integration web site (www.integracije.cg.yu), which will be providing information on the activities of the Ministry and all the NGOs related to the European integration process. – EUR 12,524

• Seminar on principles of decentralization in accordance with the European practice within the framework of the School of Democratic Leadership, project developed in cooperation with Nansen Dialogue Centre, Podgorica. Under this project 40 young politicians from Montenegro have been acquainted with basic principles of decentralization resulting from the new Law on Local Government, Law on Election of Mayors and Law on Local Government Financing. Particular emphasis has been placed on the relationship between the central and local authorities and on active participation of citizens and cooperation of all stakeholders in decision-making process at the local level. The participants have been introduced to the Slovenian experience in local government management and the substance of European charters, recommendations and directives of the European Union in the field of local government. (European charter on local government, Recommendation on citizen participation in local public life, European charter on participation of young people in local public life.) – EUR 7,147

• Seminar on the process of European integration, with an emphasis on regional experience within the framework of the School of Democratic Leadership, project implemented in cooperation with Nansen Dialogue Centre, Podgorica. The need for an enhanced knowledge on the European Union and EU institutions, as well as for a better understanding of the process of our country’s integration into the EU is becoming increasingly topical.  The Seminar on the Process of European Integration, with an emphasis on the experience of the region enhances the level of knowledge in the above fields and contributes to a clearer picture on the need for involving all social actors (in particular politicians – decision-makers) into the integration processes. - EUR 6,900

• Producing a "Study on methods of organization and operation of the European Movement in the countries on the territory of the former SFR Yugoslavia", applicant NGO European Movement in Montenegro. The Project is to produce an analysis of methods of operation and organization of European Movements in the region, consultations with leaders of these organizations and establishment of cooperation aimed at a successful future communication, joint activities and enlisting support for broader regional and international activities of the European Movement in Montenegro - EUR  2,125

• Institutional support to the office of the European Movement in Montenegro. The NGO European Movement in Montenegro is planning a series of activities towards promoting and better understanding of the European idea in Montenegro (promotional and media activities, educational, international activities, monitoring of the European integration process, etc. The project envisages support to their institutional strengthening through donation of office and computer equipment and providing for current expenses. - EUR  11,060

• Participation of representatives of the Faculty of Economics at the presentation of the regional project "Trans-Border Labour Force Migrations". The project was intended to collect relevant information on migrations from the region with the aim of contributing to the development of European standards, reducing and overcoming racial/ethnic discrimination and xenophobia in the region and offering support to creation of migration-related national policies. – EUR 1,168.

For projects implemented through the Public Administration and Local Government programme in  2004 the Foundation has disbursed funds totalling EUR  191,306.

LAW PROGRAMME

Programme Coordinator: Tamara Srzentic

1. Projects supported from the national Law Programme:

• In terms of the intention of the Ministry to introduce the public notary institute into the Montenegrin legal system the Foundation has provided necessary financial support to the working group engaged by the Ministry of Justice of RM to steer the process of drafting a Law on Public Notary. The Draft Law on Public Notary was presented to a broad professional community at a round table held in Podgorica on June 14, 2004.and jointly organized by the Ministry of Justice of RM,  FOSI ROM and the Council of Europe. -EUR 904.18

• As a logical continuation of the Foundation’s efforts in the field of revision of criminal legislation and as a result of the recently passed Criminal Procedure Code, in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice of RM and the OSCE Podgorica Office the Foundation organized on June 28 a round table on the Draft Law on Witness Protection Programme. The meeting brought together some 40 representatives of the judiciary, prosecutor’s office, NGOs and donor community with the objective to obtain comments on the Draft Law prepared by the working group formed at the Ministry of Justice - EUR 3,149.70

• With a view to strengthening the prosecutor’s organization and ensuring technical and human resource prerequisites for its better functioning the Foundation has supported two projects of the applicant NGO "Association of State Prosecutors of Montenegro", professional organization bringing together the largest number of holders of prosecutor’s office in the Republic. The first project entitled "Development of a Manual for Practical Work of Prosecutors" is designed to produce, in a printed and CD version, a manual with model documents most frequently used in prosecutor’s practice and with concrete examples from prosecutor’s practice. -EUR 6,300

  The second project of the same applicant entitled "Organization of an intensive English Language course for holders of prosecutor’s office" has been supported with an amount of EUR 17,160. 37 prosecutors from the basic, higher and state prosecutor’s offices in Podgorica will attend the six-month English language course, which will be conducted by the Foreign Language Institute, Podgorica.

• The Foundation has supported two seminars of the NGO "Centre for Democracy and Human Rights, Podgorica. The seminars took place on February 5 – 7 and April 16 – 17, 2004 and addressed the ways of applying the European Convention on Human Rights to the Montenegrin legal system in the context of the ongoing criminal legislation reform. – EUR 4,790.

• Support has also been provided to a Seminar on: "Freedom of Thought, Conscience and Religion and Freedom of Assembly and Association", also proposed by applicant NGO "Centre for Democracy and Human Rights, of Podgorica.  The Seminar took place on December 10 –11, 2004 and brought together a large number of judges, prosecutors, lawyers and human rights experts with an ambition to examine the current situation in terms of respect for the rights from articles 9 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights. ­  EUR 2,795.

• In accordance with the intentions of the Ministry of Justice of RM to amend the Law on Court Fees, the Foundation has provided the necessary financial support to the working group engaged by the Ministry of Justice of RM to steer the process of drafting the above Law, which has been considered important not only from the aspect of ensuring access to courts, but also in terms of indirectly addressing the issue of backlog and enhancing efficiency of courts. - EUR 1,800

• The Foundation has also supported a project of the Ministry of Justice of RM designed to produce a compilation of regulations inaugurated by the Montenegrin criminal legislation reform entitled "New Criminal Legislation in Montenegro" [1.59MB] - (Publications). The compilation will be published in English, too, and it will comprise in one volume the texts of the Criminal Code, Criminal Procedure Code, Law on State Prosecutor, Law on Amendments to the Law on Execution of Criminal Sanctions and Law on Witness Protection [1.50MB] - (Publications). - EUR 7,912.50

• Taking into account the findings of a recent opinion survey indicating inadequate level of information of the general public on the progress of reform of the judiciary in Montenegro, with a view to furthering promotion of reform developments the Foundation has supported a project proposed by the Ministry of Justice of RM entitled: "Inforeformator" - Publication enabling citizen’s information on the accomplishments of the reform of the judiciary, state administration and local government". The project envisages publishing a bulletin in 700 copies on a monthly basis, as well as availability of the same publication in electronic form at the Ministry of Justice Internet address. The project has been supported with a total amount of EUR 9,210 – the amount of EUR 8,000 has been allocated from the Law Programme and the amount of EUR 1,210 from the Public Administration and Local Government Programme.

• In view of the need for enhancing commercial courts in Montenegro, given their important tasks in ensuring the necessary legal environment for any foreign investments and their role as the implementer of new economic legislation,  the Foundation has supported the project proposed by the Podgorica Commercial Court entitled: "New Commercial :Law in Practice". The project will be implemented through three programme activities relating to purchasing and installation of a data base of regulations, court practices and decisions relevant for the jurisdiction of Podgorica and Bijelo Polje Commercial Courts; nine-month professional training of younger judges and judicial trainees in the two above courts in terms of new legislation and relevant practices; and finally publishing of a professional bulletin – "the Bulletin of the Podgorica Commercial Court.- EUR 25,000.

2. Projects proposed by the Foundation and supported from the budget of the network institution Open Society Justice Initiative, with headquarters in Budapest:

• In cooperation with Open Society Justice Initiative the Foundation has supported a nine-month project entitled: "Monitoring of Political Party Financing in Montenegro", applicant NGO Monitoring Centre, Podgorica. Namely, following the recent passage of the Law on Political Party Financing in Montenegro, which has become effective on October 1, 2004, a research project has been designed to examine current prerequisites in the Montenegrin context for the implementation of the Law on Political Party Financing in Montenegro and identify lines and modalities for its successful implementation. - EUR 30,000.

• Support has been provided to the project "Enhancing the Work of Legal Clinics", applicant Legal Clinics Centre, operating as an organizational unit of the Faculty of Law of the University of Montenegro, amounting to EUR 8,548.00. With support from network institution Open Society Justice Initiative and through arrangements made by our Foundation representatives of the Legal Clinics Centre participated at the conference
  "Global Alliance for Justice Education", held in Krakow, Poland, on July 22-24, 2004. (EUR 826,50 ).

Total funds provided for this programme in 2004 amount to EUR 117,185.88, of which FOSI ROM allocated EUR 77,811.38 and network initiative Open Society Justice Initiative EUR 39,374.50.

CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

In early September 2003 the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Montenegro have signed a Framework Agreement on Capacity Development Program for the public administration of Montenegro. The Programme is in tune with the principles of the Strategy for Public Administration Reform and the Strategy for Education Reform in Montenegro and represents an auxiliary mechanism for accomplishing institutional, as well as sectoral reform. It is the first programme of the type where the Government is at the same time a partner, financial contributor and beneficiary.

The first phase involves three ministries – the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry for International Economic Relations and European Integration and the Ministry of Justice. In the successive phase the Programme should expand to the Ministry of Finance, too. There are also plans for activities conducive to the so-called "horizontal coordination" of the Government aimed at developing instruments and methodology improving inter-agency cooperation in accordance with the requirements of Montenegro’s strategic orientation towards Euro-Atlantic integrations. 

After the first year of its implementation the Programme was subjected to evaluation by an independent international expert, Mr. Richard Flaman, and was judged highly favourably in regard of achievement and management. The programme will be considered completed, as soon as the Government of Montenegro has sufficiently built its own capacity, and has progressed far enough with reform, to assume responsibility itself for continuation of a programme with similar objectives and using similar benchmarks.

In 2004 the following activities have been carried out within the framework of the Capacity Development Programme:

1. For the Ministry of Education and Science support has been  provided in the following areas:

• Capacity building for use of information technologies in education and  establishment of an information system for education management through:

  • Engagement of a local expert in information technologies, Mr. Radovan Rutesic;

  • Organization of training for employees of the Ministry of Education and Science in information technologies utilized and

  • Purchasing of computers, printers, projectors and accessories

• Capacity building for establishing a system of public information through:

  • Engagement of a local expert in public relations, Mrs. Milica Kadic-Akovic, M.A.

  • Organization of training in internal and external communication with the assistance of a regional expert, Mr. Nebojsa Radic, M.A.

• Capacity building in the field of university education reform and quality assurance:

  • Engagement of  Prof. Dr Alojz Kralj, University of Ljubljana and

  • Organization of a round table for representatives of the University of Montenegro.

2. The Bureau for Education of Montenegro has received support in the following areas:

• Establishment of a model of internal and external evaluation and a quality assurance system in education through:

  • Engagement of Mr. Alan Norli, international education expert,

  • Training of employees in the Quality Assurance Department of the Bureau for Education and

  • Training of directors in the field of internal and external evaluation.

• Improving organizational and institutional structure of the Bureau for Education through:

  • Conducting a thorough functional analysis, with expert support of Dr. Alojz Plusk, Director and Vladimir Mileksic, Assistant Director of the Bureau for Education, Ljubljana and assistance in drafting a Strategic Plan.

3. The Ministry for International Economic Relations and European Integration has been given support through the following activities:

• Engagement of international expert in European Integration, Mr. David Coombes, at the same time advisor with the CDP, through defining tasks in the field of European Integration and drafting a plan for development of the Department for European Integration towards a successful process of integration into the European Union, as well as providing support to the Minister in regard of relations with EU institutions.

• Improving organizational and institutional structure of the Ministry by conducting a thorough functional analysis, with expert support of Simon James, impartial foreign consultant.

• Capacity building for use of information technologies through:

  • Purchasing ICT equipment – computers, printers, scanners and additional equipment

  • Engagement of a local expert in ICT, Ms. Tina Bukvic.

• Capacity building of the Department for International Economic Relations through engagement of a local expert in international economic relations, Ms. Nada Mihajlovic, to assist with Department development. Following the period of her engagement under the programme, the CDP consultant was appointed Deputy Minister for International Economic Relations.

• Capacity building of the Department for European Integration through:

  • Engagement of a local European integration expert, Mr. Dragan Djuric, to assist with Department development and drafting of an action plan for the Department.  Following the period of his engagement under the programme, the CDP consultant was appointed Deputy Minister for European Integration

  • Engagement of a regional expert in European Integration, Mr. Dragan Tilev, director of the Office for European Integration of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia, through the following activities: analysis of activities of the Department for EI, presentation of the best experiences (of Macedonia, but also of other countries in the region, too) and possibilities for making use of these for the Republic of Montenegro in the process of European integration through a system of integration processes coordination. This system is related to the organizational structure at the level of the Republic, the national strategy for integrations, the national plan for legislation harmonization, donor assistance coordination system, the strategy for EU integration process, the strategy for training of public administration employees in the field of integrations, etc. 

  • Engagement of a local expert, Mr. Milorad Ivovic, to assist with the Action Plan for harmonization of national legislation with the  European Union legislation.

  • Engagement of  a regional expert in European Integration, Mr. Miro Prek, to provide support to the Minister and the European Integration Department through the following activities: assessment of the capacity of the Legislation Harmonization Unit, training of the Department staff in legislation harmonization, training of staff in the field of European Integration, advice and comments on documents prepared by other institutions, establishing links with other institutions, drafting a Legislation Harmonization Strategy.

 4. The Ministry of Justice has received support in the following fields:

•   Capacity building of the Local Government Department through:

  • Engagement of a regional expert-consultant in local government, Mr. Roman Lavtar, and research assistant Mr.Velibor Milosevic, who have been providing direct support to the Deputy Minister for Local Government in drafting laws and key documents for this Department. Concrete results thus far have been assessments, comments and recommendations relating to drafting of the following documents:

  • Law on the Capital City, Law on Territorial Organization,  Law on the Historical Capital, 

  • Set of rules regulating local government’s conduct in  dealing with citizens,

  • Evaluation of the Decision on the Local Government of the Municipality of Tivat, 

  • Ordinance on participation of local population in conducting public affairs; 

  • Drafting of a Model Programme of development of a municipality, 

  • Programme of continuous training for civil servants

  • Design of the Ministry of Justice web-site

• Capacity building of the Judiciary Department, through:

  • Engagement of research assistant Jelena Djonovic, who has been providing direct support to the Deputy Minister for the Judiciary by assisting him in drafting laws and key documents for this Department. Concrete results so far are assistance with drafting laws and identifying comparative experiences in implementing these laws: 

  • Mediation Law, 

  • Law on Public Notary,

  • Witness Protection Law

  • Bar Examination Law

  • Drafting by-laws required as a result of new legislation; 

  • Assistance relating to participation in the CARDS regional programme for reform of the judiciary in Southeast Europe.

  • Preparing for participation in the European Commission TAIEX programme;

  • And preparation of a brochure on the Judiciary Department

Activities with a view to upgrading the ICT for the Ministry of Justice as a whole are under way.

In the year 2004 the Foundation has invested in the Capacity Building Programme funds amounting to US$ 100,000.

THE ROMA PROGRAMME

Programme Coordinator: Tamara Srzentic

1. Roma Education Initiative

Aware of the problems identified in Roma children education and the need to achieve sustainable results in this field, ROM and UNICEF have signed in February 2003. the Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Education and Science, which has defined the respective responsibilities of the parties in Roma children education.

The Foundation has further decided, in regard of the text of the Memorandum and in tune with the process of the "Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015", initiated at international level by the World Bank and the Open Society Institute, to use additional funds available within the framework of the so-called Roma Education Initiative (OSI network initiative with headquarters in Budapest), bring together interested donors and make an important step forward towards creating experimental model-centres for Roma children education on three selected locations in Montenegro.

The implementation of the project entitled "Roma Education Initiative in Montenegro" started in March 2004 and the project has marked a more intensive action by the Ministry of Education and Science of RM, FOSI ROM and UNICEF (with financial support of REI and expert/operational support of the Pedagogical Centre of Montenegro) towards a wider integration of Roma children (aged 0 – 18) in the Montenegrin formal education system.

The Project is being carried out in three Montenegrin municipalities (Berane, Podgorica and Niksic) and brings together, in addition to formal educational institutions, several Roma NGOs ("Enfants", Rozaje, "Pocetak", Niksic, "SOS", Niksic, "Red Cross of Montenegro") and international institutions committed to the same task of providing a positive/successful educational model that the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Montenegro would after the termination of the envisaged period of project implementation (school years 2003/2004 and 2004/2005) continue to develop and advance depending on the available human and financial capacity. From the budget for 2004 the Foundation has allocated for the realization of this initiative EUR 46,989.

In terms of support to schools participating in the "Roma Education Initiative" project (elementary schools. "Bozidar Vukovic – Podgoricanin" and "Marko Miljanov" in Podgorica, ES "Mileva Lajovic – Lalatovic" in Niksic and ES "Radomir Mitrovic" in Berane) the Foundation has provided textbooks for Roma children attending 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade in the above schools amounting to a total of EUR 11,508.50, of which EUR 1,000 from Roma programme and EUR 10,508.50 from the Education Reform Programme.

2. The list of other projects supported under the Foundation Roma Programme:

• "Monthly meetings of the network of Roma NGOs" (applicant: NGO "Pocetak", Niksic) – in relation to the announced Decade of Roma Inclusion and in this regard preparation of a National Action Plan of Montenegro for the Decade of Roma Inclusion, the Foundation has supported, in cooperation with the OSCE Office in Montenegro, monthly meetings of a coalition of Roma NGOs bearing the name of "Roma Network". The project objective is to enable Roma community representatives to articulate their priorities in the context of drafting of the above Action Plan and give legitimacy to the whole process of its development. - EUR 4,231.20

• "Education of Roma children in Stari Bar" (applicant: NGO "Udruzenje Starobarana"/Association of natives of Stari Bar/) – with a view to ensuring continuity in implementation of successful projects of non-formal education of Roma children in those places that have not been covered by the "Roma Education Initiative", the Foundation has supported organization of workshops for Roma children of preschool age in Stari Bar. Within the framework of this project catch-up classes have been organized for Roma children who are regular elementary school pupils and a special literacy programme has been carried out for those Roma who are beyond the age limit for enrolment in a regular school. – EUR 6,293.50

• Scholarships awarded to Roma secondary school students (1st semester of the school year 2003/2004.)-  EUR 1,600:

  - Fljamur Delija (1st grade, Niksic)               EUR 200

  - Mahija Gasi (2nd grade, Niksic)                 EUR 200

  - Kumrija Beganaj (3rd grade, Niksic)          EUR 200

  - Mehmet Berisa (3rd grade, Herceg Novi)   EUR 200

  - Ferdijan Berisa (2^nd grade, Herceg Novi)  EUR 200

  - Anita Zeciri (3rd grade, Herceg Novi)         EUR 200

  - Teuta Tusa (3rd grade, Herceg Novi)         EUR 200

  - Anita Berisa (1st grade, Podgorica)           EUR 200

• Scholarships awarded to Roma secondary school students (2nd semester of the school year 2003/2004.)-EUR 1,750 EUR:

  - Fljamur Delija (1st grade, Niksic)               EUR 250

  - Mahija Gasi (2nd grade, Niksic)                 EUR 250

  - Kumrija Beganaj (3rd grade, Niksic)          EUR 250

  - Mehmet Berisa (3rd grade, Herceg Novi)   EUR 250

  - Anita Zeciri (3rd grade, Herceg Novi)         EUR 250

  - Teuta Tusa (3rd grade, Herceg Novi)          EUR 250

  - Anita Berisa (1st grade, Podgorica)            EUR 250

Total funds invested in this programme by FOSI ROM in 2004 amount to EUR 61,863.70.

WOMEN’S PROGRAMME

Programme Coordinator: Maja Kovacevic