3 October 2025, Podgorica, Montenegro

At the Faculty of Law of the University of Montenegro, within the framework of the event “Legal Days 2025”, and in co-organization with the Embassy of the French Republic in Montenegro and the ReSPA, a conference was held under the title: “Comparative Perspectives on Professional Ethics and Integrity in France and the Western Balkans.” The event was attended by H.E. the Ambassador of the French Republic to Montenegro, Ms Anne-Marie Maskay.

The conference was opened with an introductory address by Mr Yves Gounin, President of the International Section of the Council of State of the French Republic and Judge of the Administrative Tribunal of the Council of Europe, who introduced students to the theoretical and practical challenges of studying ethics and professional integrity in the legal life of public administration. Through vivid examples, Mr Gounin presented the case law of the French Republic in this field and acquainted students with the dilemmas public servants face in their work.

Following him, Mr Boris Ristović, Project Manager at ReSPA, briefly provided a historical overview of the development of the rule of law in Montenegro, as well as the main obstacles Montenegro faces on its path towards European integration, within the context of public administration reform and the fight against corruption. Highlighting the gap that exists between regulations and practice, Ristović noted that Montenegro has made significant progress in the past decades in developing the professional and ethical integrity of public servants, while also emphasising that it still faces numerous challenges.

In the closing presentation, Dr Andreja Mihailović, Teaching Assistant at the Faculty of Law of the University of Montenegro, presented the way in which the Faculty studies and approaches the issue of legal ethics, particularly in terms of concrete professional situations, but also about modern challenges posed by the rapid development in the fields of informatics and digitalisation. By presenting examples of specific dilemmas, she invited students to reflect on them, encouraging them to think critically about the ethical problems the legal profession encounters.

After the presentations, a lively and substantive discussion followed, during which the gathered students posed numerous questions to the conference participants. The event was moderated by Mr Matija Stojanović, Teaching Assistant at the Faculty of Law of the University of Montenegro.