Montenegro

Montenegro is the smallest of the former Yugoslav republics and maintained a federated relationship with Serbia until 2006, when it formally declared its independence. In the early 1990s, the republic were genuinely allied with Serbia, but transitions in its leadership eventually moved Montenegro into the opposition of political opposition to Slobodan Milosevic and his policies. By 2000, the time transition occurred in Serbia itself, Montenegro was essentially an independent actor. The Helsinki Commission staff observed Montenegro’s first multi-party elections in December 1990, and observed subsequent elections in 1997, 2006 (referendum) and 2009. Staff delegations also visited Montenegro to assess developments in 1993 and 1996. Members of the Commission leadership have also visited the country to attend OSCE Parliamentary Assembly meetings or other events. Commission hearings in the 1990s focused on threats to Montenegro’s stability due to its oppositions to Milosevic’s policies, and hearings since the country asserted its statehood the focus at hearings has been increasingly on advancing the country’s integration, including NATO membership. In addition to adhering more firmly to the rule of law, recent Commission concerns have generally focused on Montenegro’s record regarding trafficking in persons and on accommodating diversity within the country, which has several national minorities and a substantial portion of the Orthodox Slavic population that wishes to maintain close ties with Serbia rather than stress a distinct identity. The threat to investigative journalists in Montenegro has been an ongoing concern.

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Press Releases

Cardin, Shaheen, Wicker Introduce New Bipartisan Bil...

Aug 04, 2022

WASHINGTON – Helsinki Commission Chairman Ben Cardin (MD) with Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation and member of the Helsinki […]

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Hearings

Sweden’s Leadership of the OSCE

Jun 11, 2021

In 2021, Sweden chairs the world’s largest regional security organization—the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)—which comprises 57 participating States stretching from North America, across Europe, and to […]

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Press Releases

Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde to Appear at Hels...

Jun 03, 2021

WASHINGTON—The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, today announced the following online hearing: SWEDEN’S LEADERSHIP OF THE OSCE Priorities for 2021 Friday, June […]

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Press Releases

Helsinki Commission Commemorates 45 Years of Advanci...

Jun 03, 2021

WASHINGTON—To commemorate the 45th anniversary of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, on June 3, Chairman Sen. Ben Cardin (MD) and […]

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Digests

Helsinki Commission Digital Digest: February 2021

Feb 26, 2021

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Press Releases

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama to Appear at Helsin...

Sep 09, 2020

WASHINGTON—The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, today announced the following online hearing: ALBANIA’S CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE OSCE Responding to the Multiple Challenges […]

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Articles

2019 Human Dimension Implementation Meeting

Sep 13, 2019

From September 16 to September 27, OSCE participating States will meet in Warsaw, Poland, for the 2019 Human Dimension Implementation Meeting (HDIM), organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions […]

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Press Releases

OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem D...

Jul 17, 2019

WASHINGTON—The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, today announced the following hearing: STATE OF MEDIA FREEDOM IN THE OSCE REGION Thursday, July 25, […]

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Publications

The Helsinki Process: A Four Decade Overview

Jun 28, 2019

In August 1975, the heads of state or government of 35 countries – the Soviet Union and all of Europe except Albania, plus the United States and Canada – held […]

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Briefings

Lies, Bots, and Social Media

Nov 29, 2018

From the latest revelations about Facebook to ongoing concerns over the integrity of online information, the U.S. public has never been more vulnerable or exposed to computational propaganda: the threat […]

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Press Releases

Helsinki Commission Briefing to Examine Computationa...

Nov 26, 2018

WASHINGTON—The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, today announced the following briefing: LIES, BOTS, AND SOCIAL MEDIA What is Computational Propaganda and […]

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Articles

Interview with Georgia Holmer, Senior Adviser for An...

Nov 20, 2018

By Yena Seo, Communications Fellow Georgia Holmer, an expert on counterterrorism policy, recently visited the Helsinki Commission offices to discuss her portfolio at the Anti-Terrorism Issues Unit in the Transnational […]

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