Overview:

• The 2019 law on Freedom of Religion or Beliefs and Legal Status of Religious Communities made improvements by repealing previous laws mandating religious registration in order to practice one’s faith.

• Informational requirements for registration seem appropriate but any further expansion would make them intrusive; continued monitored will need to be conducted in order to ensure these requirements stay as they are and are not misused.

• Religious groups and religious organisations are the two categories of legal registration which suggests a system of vertical recognition is in place.

• The creation of bilateral cooperation agreements is possible but to what degree accessibility remains vague.

Positive elements:

• All religious groups, whether registered nor not, are eligible for the receipt of financial and other forms of assistance which shows dynamic character.

• There are provisions for the investigation of human rights abuse cases and the promotion of religious freedom by the Directorate of Relations with Religious Communities.

Recommendations:

• Establish a recognition agency to manage the recognition system independent of government control in order to be classified as dynamic.

• There are some minor existent issues within the present recognition that also need to be resolved before Montenegro is designated dynamic; these involve the removal of membership quotas and other minor restrictions for non-traditional religious groups.