Milatović: Public interest is the citizens’ interest; power must be under control

Montenegrin President Jakov Milatović said public interest must always be at the center of state decision-making and that power must be limited by rules and subject to institutional control.

Speaking at the Anti-Corruption Forum organized by the Civic Alliance and BIRN Montenegro, Milatović stressed that the fight against corruption is not only a matter of law enforcement, but also the state’s responsibility toward its citizens.

He said decisions made in the name of public interest must be reasoned, transparent, and verifiable, and citizens must be able to know how and why they were made.

According to him, the lack of transparency and institutional control increases the risk of private interest prevailing over public interest and damages citizens’ trust in institutions.

Milatović stressed this also applies to decisions concerning state property, public spending, and major investments, mentioning the agreement with the United Arab Emirates as well.

He said the success of Montenegro’s European path should not be measured only by the number of closed chapters, but also by whether citizens see a state where public money is managed responsibly, decisions are made transparently, and the rules apply equally to everyone.