Budimir Šćepanović - Deputy Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms of Montenegro

Budimir Šćepanović was born on May 31, 1959 in Bijelo Polje. He finished grammar school in Podgorica and graduated from the Faculty of Law in Podgorica in 1982. From 1985 until 1989 he worked as an expert-associate at the Republic Secretariat for Legislation. He then worked at the Republic Hydrometeorological Institute as the Head of the Legal and General Affairs Department. From 1993 until 2004 he worked as an adviser at the Constitutional Court of Montenegro. He was elected for the first time as a Deputy Ombudsman by the Assembly of Montenegro on March 24, 2004 and for the second time on November 2, 2011.

 Marijana Laković - Deputy Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms of Montenegro

 Marijana Laković, Deputy Ombudsman, was born in Podgorica on 11 August 1970 and was educated at the Faculty of Law, Podgorica. After graduating from the Faculty of Law in 1996, she passed the bar exam in 2000. In 2005, Ms Laković enrolled postgraduate studies and passed six exams at the Faculty of Law in Podgorica, Department of International Relations.
From January 1997 to April 2000, Ms Laković worked as a trainee at the State Prosecutor’s Office of Montenegro. Since January 2004 she worked as an adviser to the Basic State Prosecutor in Podgorica. In May 2004, the Parliament of Montenegro elected Ms Laković, from among distinguished lawyers, member of the Montenegrin Judicial Council, for a term of office of four years. From January 2004 to December 2007, she acted in the capacity of an adviser to the Montenegrin Ombudsman and on 18 December 2007 Ms Laković was elected Deputy Ombudsman.
In May 2003, while staying in Washington at the invitation of the USA Government, Ms Laković, being the representative of the State Prosecutor, attended the seminar entitled ‘Protection of Intellectual Property and Copyrights’ and thereby visited the Supreme Court and Federal  Court of Appeal of the USA.
In June 2003, while staying in Sarajevo, she attended the seminar entitled ’European Convention and Children’s Rights’, organized by the Council of Europe.
In December 2003, while staying in Belgrade, Ms Laković took participation in the conference entitled ‘Internal and External Oversight of the Police’, organized by OSCE.
In February 2004, while staying in Tirana, Ms Laković took participation in the regional conference entitled ‘Child Trafficking’, organized by the Council of Europe.
In June 2004, Ms Laković stayed in Athens during the study visit to the Greek Ombudsman.
In September 2004, while staying in Warsaw, Ms Laković attended Summer School on Human Rights, which was organized by the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights.
In May 2006, while staying on the Greek  island of Syros, Ms Laković took participation in the regional conference entitled 'The Ombudsman's Oversight of the Police, organized within the framework of the Eunomia Project of the Greek Ombudsman.
From June to September 2006, within the internship programme Ms Laković worked in AIRE Centre (Advice on Individual Rights in Europe) in London, which, within its regular activities, provides legal advice when submitting individual applications to the European Court, represents parties before the Court, organizes seminars, round-table discussions aimed at educating civil servants, judges, non-governmental organizations on the implementation of the European Convention and their getting acquainted with the European Court’s case-law, especially in the countries of eastern and central Europe.
In October 2006, while staying in Ohrid, Ms Laković took participation in the regional conference entitled ‘Family Violence and Women’s Rights in the Western Balkans’.
In September 2007, Ms Laković paid a study visit to the Budapest Ombudsman.
In October 2007, Ms Laković paid a study visit to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
Ms Laković attended over 20 seminars on the European Convention and selected members, which were organized by the Council of Europe, CEDEM, and AIRE Centre. In addition, she participated in conferences, round-table discussions and seminars organized in Montenegro.
Ms Laković speaks English language.

Nevenka Stankovic, - Deputy Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms of Montenegro

She graduated from the Faculty of Law in Sarajevo. Passed the bar exam in Belgrade. Additional studies in the field of EU law ended at the Institute of Public Administration in Berlin.
Completed an internship at the Commercial Court in Podgorica.
Since 1994 by 2004 worked as a consultant in the Republic Secretariat for Legislation.
Since 2004 by 2009 she was an adviser of the Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms of Montenegro in Podgorica.
For Deputy Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms of Montenegro she was elected on July 29, 2009.

Petar Ivezić - Deputy Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms of Montenegro

Petar Ivezić Born on July 25, 1969 in Podgorica, married, graduated from the Faculty of Law in Podgorica in 1999. He worked as an intern in the Ministry of Justice of Montenegro from January 17, 2000 to January 18, 2002 in the organizational unit in charge of the reform of public administration, local government and judiciary, and later on in the Division for Judiciary and the Institute for Execution of Criminal Sanctions; he worked as an intern in the Supreme Court of Montenegro, within the Administrative and Criminal Department, from January 19, 2002 to June 15, 2003 and after that, from June 16, 2003 to October 2008, he worked in the Ministry of Interior of Montenegro, as the advisor for residence and identity cards, and since October 2008 he has worked as an Independent Advisor for acquisition of Montenegrin citizenship through naturalization.
Education, trainings and seminars:
He has attended a number of civil education schools, trainings and seminars, such as:
-School of democracy - Center for Civil Education,
-School of communication - Nansen Dialogue Center
-School for the "Activities and Functioning of NGOs",
-Introduction into the European Union acquis - OSCE in NDC,
-Relations in the legal reform - ABA CEELI,
-Workshop on law drafting ABA CEELI,
-Development of projects on administration – Human Resources Management Authority of Montenegro

For the purposes of performing the expert and administrative tasks the Technical Service was set up. The Technical Service is under the management of a Secretary. Apart from Secretary, the Service consists of 15 officers, out of which 9 have faculty degree ( five Advisers to the Ombudsman, two Independent Advisers, one Senior Adviser and Head of the Finance / Accounting Unit) who perform the experts tasks, and six officers with high school degree who perform administrative / ethnical tasks. The structure of employees is multiethnical.

It was the The Swedish Parliament who established the first institution of Ombudsman in 1809, entrusting it with overseeing the implementation of the laws by the executive branch of power. Translated from the Swedish language , the term “ombudsman” means “commissioner” or “authorised person”, but judging by the function he performs the term “ombudsman” means “ protector of human rights and freedoms” or “citizens’ defender”. Most of other Many countries adopted the Ombudsman institution in the second half of the 20th century, particularly after the Second World War. Today, the Ombudsman institution exists in more than 100 countries world-wide, including the former Yugoslav R republics.