Montenegro is still recognized as a transit country for victims or potential victims of human trafficking, and less as a country of origin or ultimate destination. The number of potential victims of human trafficking has increase recently and they have been identified as being at the risk of becoming victims of unlawful marriage and sexual exploitation.
In this context, the Working group in charge of monitoring the implementation of the Strategy for the fight against human trafficking developed a Draft Strategy for Fight against human trafficking for 2019-2024. The objective of this Draft Strategy is to prevent human trafficking, which involves improvement of the prevention activities and participation of all actors at state level and implementation thereof.
One of the main objectives of the strategy is the improvement of knowledge of every professional and representative of NGO sector which have contact with the victims of human trafficking.
Competent government sectors, judicial authorities, as well as representatives of the civil society, understand that the implementation of the Strategy depends on the comprehensive and harmonized responses of all structures.
Once the victims are identified, the next step is their protection. They also need help in their social re-integration. This is the second objective envisaged by the Strategy which aims to identify as many victims as possible.
In addition, the Strategy recommends that the Ministry of Interior provide more staff in the Department for the prevention of human trafficking, smuggling and illegal migrations. Police Department should develop and organize training for the reinforcement of capacities of the expert team.
According to the Article 444, Human Trafficking, small number of such cases has been recorded in Montenegro. Due to the lack of evidence for a specific case to be qualified as criminal offence of human trafficking, it happens that it is qualified as a criminal offence of mediation in prostitution, abuse and neglect of a minor etc.
The Strategy envisages that more effort should be put in the establishment of special programs of training for police officers, prosecutor’s office and judicial system. Successful fight against human trafficking includes multi-sector approach and intense international cooperation, along with the application of efficient measures on the plan of prevention, identification and protection of victims, punishment of perpetrators with mandatory partnership with institutions, businessmen, private sector, at both national and regional and international plan.
This Strategy also envisages establishment of contacts with the relevant persons with the aim of improving efficiency of the identification process, prosecution of perpetrators and data exchange system.
