MANS is a non-governmental organisation devoted to fighting against corruption and organised crime that affect Montenegro. Indeed, MANS’ vision is Montenegro as a fair, open and free society of active and free citizens with a government that serves the public interest.

The Network for Affirmation of the NGO Sector – MANS is leading anti corruption advocate in Montenegro and the largest NGO in the country. MANS provides citizens with free legal assistance in reporting corruption. We extensively use freedom of information requests to obtain official documents, and we conduct strategic litigation, which is a main tool we use for many cases. The Concrete Law on Free Access to Information provides us a mechanism for citizens, the civil sector and the media to detect corruption, but also to control the government. We investigate high level corruption and organised crime, publish stories in the media and submit criminal appeals with evidence to the prosecution. Through a large number of successfully implemented projects during 20 years of existence, MANS monitored elections (local 2014, parliamentary 2016, all elections held from 2016-2018 and parliamentary 2020), and implemented anti corruption policies and work of the National Parliament and its committees relevant to the fight against corruption. In addition, we conduct research in areas relevant to corruption and organised crime and propose concrete improvements of laws and policies in cooperation with relevant international organisations (Transparency International, OCCRP, Access Info Europe, Balkan Tender Watch Coalition), as well as domestic and experts in specific fields.

MANS fights against corruption and organised crime that affect Montenegro, by making governance more transparent, accountable and responsive to citizens’ needs, by stimulating citizens to take actions and exercise their rights. MANS is a partner for Montenegro of the Transparency International and the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). MANS is a member of the Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors as well.

Through our work we reveal many cases of high level corruption, report them to prosecution and through investigative stories published in the media. MANS submitted over 130.000 requests for information and we shaped favourable institutional and judicial practices with decisions on complaints and court decisions in our favour. Combining investigative work and international cooperation in investigations serves us as advocacy tools for changes in legal framework and practice on very sensitive field we are dealing in Montenegro. We continuously provide citizens with free legal assistance to report corruption and irregularities or obtain information from public institutions. Following MANS monitoring more information are published but the reform of key laws and practises is still necessary in order to ensure complete transparency of state and local authorities.

Key achievements of MANS`s work is available on annual reports at our web site: http://www.mans.co.me/en/reports/ , also presented in monthly newsletters http://www.mans.co.me/newsletters-2019/ , http://www.mans.co.me/en/newsletters-2020/ . Results are also in all documents produced through many projects implementation http://www.mans.co.me/en/categories/documents/ in areas related to organised crime, illegal enrichment, justice, free access of information, financing election campaigns, monitoring of Parliament, public procurement, privatisation, energetics, urbanisation and other.

Contacts and links

+382.20.266.326

mans@t-com.me

MANS – Website

Dalmatinska 188, 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro