Parliament Speaker Andrija Mandić and Special Representative Irene Charalambides in Podgorica, 29 Sept. 2025PODGORICA, 30 September 2025 – Irene Charalambides (Cyprus), Vice-President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Assembly’s Special Representative on Fighting Corruption, paid an official visit to Montenegro on 29–30 September, meeting with senior officials and representatives of key institutions engaged in strengthening the rule of law, promoting transparency, and advancing the fight against corruption.
On Monday, Charalambides met with Deputy Prime Minister for Political System, Justice and Anti-Corruption, Momo Koprivica, for discussions on the government’s reform agenda and efforts to enhance integrity in public institutions. She also held a meeting with the President of the Parliament of Montenegro, Andrija Mandić, focusing on the role of parliaments in fostering accountability and good governance.
Further meetings included an exchange with Dušan Drakić, Director of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption, on strengthening institutional capacity and preventive measures; and meeting with the Supreme State Prosecutor, Mr Milorad Marković, on improving judicial responses to corruption cases, ensuring independence from political pressures and gender-based violence.
“Montenegro has shown real progress in fighting corruption through the adoption of a comprehensive 2024–2028 Anti-Corruption Strategy and reforms and still there is a lot to do,” Charalambides said. “Stronger laws, better protection for whistleblowers, and increased transparency of public officials’ assets is on the agenda, Montenegro is working on aligning with European standards and building greater public trust.”
Vice-President Charalambides also met with Ambassador Jan Haukaas, Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, to discuss the Mission’s ongoing work in support of Montenegro’s democratic development and anti-corruption initiatives. The Special Representative underlined the importance of co-operation between the OSCE, OSCE PA, national authorities, and civil society in ensuring lasting progress in the fight against corruption. She commended Montenegro’s commitment to advancing reforms and reiterated the OSCE PA’s readiness to support these efforts.
The visit continued with further engagements in the conference on Women Political Leaders, where Charalambides as Vice-President and Special Representative on Fighting Corruption of the OSCE PA participated and had a keynote speaker role. For the first time in the Western Balkans, Women Political Leaders and the Parliament of Montenegro co-hosted the world’s foremost gathering of women political leaders in Podgorica, Montenegro.
For more information on the work of the Special Representative on Fighting Corruption, please click here.
