10–11 September 2025, Bar, Montenegro

The regional conference “Bridging Justice and Governance: Strengthening Accountability and Oversight Through Co-operation” brought together public administration authorities, administrative judiciaries, and international experts to address key challenges at the intersection of public administration reform and the rule of law in the Western Balkans.

Jointly organised by ReSPA, the SIGMA Programme, and the Council of Europe, the event underscored the vital role of administrative justice as a cornerstone of both good governance and the protection of citizens’ rights.

In his opening remarks, Naim Gjokaj, State Secretary in the Ministry of Public Administration of Montenegro, underlined that the Ministry of Public Administration is building an administration that is fair, transparent, efficient and fully respectful of judicial decisions: “We have improved our laws and procedures, and we are aligning them with European standards. In the last year, this year, and the next year, we are introducing more than 150 new digital services. These services will make procedures faster, easier, and more accessible for citizens and businesses. We are investing in training for public servants to build a culture of professionalism and accountability. Public officials must understand that respecting court decisions is not optional – it is their duty”.

Director Maja Handjiska-Trendafilova stressed the importance of regional collaboration in building efficient and independent administrative justice: “Effective public administration cannot exist without an efficient and independent judiciary, and vice versa. Administrative justice is the bridge where governance and justice meet—ensuring accountability, safeguarding citizens, and building trust in institutions. While progress has been made, challenges such as delayed execution of court decisions and lengthy proceedings remain. That is why this conference matters: it gives us the space to share solutions and strengthen cooperation between administrations and judiciaries across the region. Strengthening cooperation between administrations and judiciaries is essential to ensure accountability, efficiency, and ultimately better services for citizens and businesses across the Western Balkans.”

The conference was supported by the European Union, with the presence of Mr Bernard Brunet, Head of Cooperation Section at the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro, reflecting the EU’s strong commitment to advancing the rule of law and public administration reform in the region: “Strengthening administrative justice provides incentives for the administration to improve service quality, digital access, and accountability.  A functional administrative judiciary is not only a condition for EU accession – it is the daily test of citizens’ trust in the state. The challenge now is implementation, consistency, and co-operation.”

Mr Gregor Virant, Head of Programme, SIGMA, underlined how collaboration and dialogue between the administrative judiciary and public administrations can improve the outcomes for citizens and businesses. “Well-functioning administrative justice, in turn, is one of the cornerstones of the Rule of Law. If citizens and businesses can rely on courts to protect their rights in disputes with the state and local authorities and resolve them in an impartial, professional and timely way, this will have a positive impact on the investment climate and on citizens’ trust in the system of governance”.

Over two days, participants examined pressing issues such as the execution of court judgments, reducing costs of lost disputes, the role of mediation in administrative justice, and lessons from European Court of Human Rights case law. Judges, senior officials, and experts from across the region and the EU shared experiences and explored innovative solutions for building more resilient and accountable systems.

Key sessions included:

SIGMA Study Insights: Mr Timo Ligi (SIGMA) presented findings on the functioning of administrative judiciaries in the Western Balkans.

European Court of Human Rights Perspectives: Mr Grigory Dikov, Senior Legal Advisor at the ECHR, outlined the most pertinent issues observed in Western Balkan proceedings from Strasbourg’s standpoint.

Panel discussion: How can the administration and judiciary co-operate to deliver better for citizens and businesses? Moderated by Mr Gregor Virant, this session brought together senior judges and officials from Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Austria to debate how administrations and judiciaries can work jointly to improve services for citizens and businesses.

Panel discussion: How to reduce state’s costs associated with lost court cases, avoid repetitive disputes and execute judgments more consistently? Moderated by Mr Boris Ristović (ReSPA), participants from Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Kosovo*, and the Netherlands discussed how to reduce state costs from lost disputes, avoid repetitive litigation, and ensure timely enforcement of rulings.

Presentations on innovative solutions for resolving administrative disputes: Presentations on mediation in administrative disputes (Mr Karim Salem, Council of Europe/CEPEJ) and the Dutch Administrative Loop model (Ms Vivian Lenos) highlighted modern approaches for improving efficiency.

Key trends in the development of administrative judiciary and administrative court procedure: useful insights for judges as well as public officials: On Day 2, experts from the Netherlands, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, and North Macedonia exchanged experiences on procedural innovations relevant for the Western Balkans.

Panel discussion: Deciding on the merits - what are the obstacles and how to overcome them? Moderated by Mr Andrej Kmecl (Supreme Court of Slovenia/SIGMA), this high-level panel explored obstacles preventing judges from issuing final, well-reasoned decisions, featuring inputs from Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the ECHR.

The conference concluded with a strong commitment to continued regional dialogue and cooperation, recognising that bridging justice and governance is vital for strengthening accountability, ensuring effective oversight, and advancing the European future of the Western Balkans.