The Judicial Council of Montenegro appointed Valentina Pavlicic as the new President of the Supreme Court on Friday. Pavlicic previously served as the nation’s representative to the European Court of Human Rights and was a judge in the Higher Court in Podgorica.

Following her election, Pavlicic addressed the Judicial Council, indicating that the current state of the judiciary is concerning and that allegations against judges and the system have diminished its credibility.

She pledged to take steps towards improving the judiciary, stating, “I did not step into this role to simply enjoy coffee at the Supreme Court. I could do that during my leisure time; I am here to help strengthen the judiciary,” she remarked.

Pavlicic garnered unanimous support from the seven attending members of the Judicial Council at the session, despite there being ten members in total. One seat is currently vacant due to a member’s death, and another member was ineligible to vote as she was a candidate for the presidency. The Minister of Justice, Bojan Bozovic, who is also a Council member, was absent from the meeting.

The position has remained vacant since December 2020, with Vesna Vuckovic serving as the acting president of the court since September 2021.

Pavlicic’s nomination for the role came on November 19, following the backing of a majority of judges during a general session of the Supreme Court.

During that session, she emphasized the importance of restoring public confidence in the judiciary, stating, “The honor and reputation of the judicial profession must be upheld. The Supreme Court, under the president’s leadership, should be the apex of justice.”

Her predecessor, Vesna Medenica, resigned in December 2020, just months after receiving criticism from both the European Commission and NGOs in Montenegro for the decision to grant her a third term as president.

Medenica was arrested in April 2022 after media reports revealed messages between her son, Milos Medenica, and a police officer, Darko Lalovic, discussing arrangements for drug and cigarette smuggling in Bar’s port.

She faced allegations of power abuse but was released on bail after spending six and a half months in custody prior to her trial.

Her son, Milos, has been in custody since May 2022, suspected of leading a 16-member organized crime group involved in drug and cigarette smuggling and illegal influence peddling.

On November 4, a preliminary verdict sentenced Medenica to six months in prison for misusing her official capacity, particularly for allowing a judge in the Rozaje Basic Court to continue his professional duties while criminal proceedings were pending against him for allegedly inflicting bodily injuries.