While the vast majority of citizens support Montenegrin accession to EU, a considerable number of them still show the lack of knowledge about this process. As a consequence, a major part of citizens has unrealistic expectations regarding Montenegrin accession to EU.
Accordingly, CDT mission is clear – education of the citizens about basic issues related to the process of Montenegrin accession to EU. In that respect, CDT intends to open space for more constructive approach to learning about the topic. Increase in the level of information turns public opinion to knowledge, which implies that citizens will behave in accordance with the facts, not prejudices. CDT also believes that decision making processes regarding EU accession process should be democratic and transparent in all its segments.
CDT is one of the signatories of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry for European Integration and NGOs (October 15, 2009). This document established close cooperation and exchange of information among signatories, regarding the European integration process, based on equality, reciprocity and mutual benefits. The cooperation is based on the principles of partnership, transparency, accountability, mutual exchange of information and independent non governmental organizations.
Center for Democratic Transition (CDT) in August 2011. started with the implementation of the project "EU Accession Negotiations – Insight into the national negotiation structures".
Since 2005, CDT has realized following projects:
- EU Workshops: Center for democratic transition, within the project "European way – safe direction", has realized interactive workshops for graduate students from Montenegrin high schools. Interactive workshops on European and Euroatlantic integrations have been organized in eleven high schools in Podgorica and involved about 1200 students. Lecturers were graduated students from Faculty of Political Sciences and Faculty of Law. The scope of the workshops was to introduce the students with objective informations about NATO and EU, in order to motivate them to create critical opinion about these subjects which are of great importance for out country.
- European Direction – Safe Road – the education program of senior high school students about EU and NATO, initiated in December 2008. Up to the moment 4,000 senior students from 9 municipalities participated in interactive workshops. The project was supported by the NATO Public Diplomacy Department and the Commission for Distribution of Part of Income from the Games of Chance.
- Integration – European Direction for Montenegrin Development – In the period October-December 2006, in cooperation with the Polish non governmental organization FRLD-MISTIA, CDT implemented the project that was aimed to strengthen cooperation among Montenegrin municipalities during European Integration process. The Protocol on Cooperation was signed on October 12 with the presidents of 10 municipalities which participate in the project. The project was supported by the Polish Agency for International Development.
- Aspects and Techniques of European Integration: Program of Support to Democratic Parliamentary Practice in Serbia and Montenegro – This project was implemented and coordinated by the East West Parliamentary Practice Program Foundation and the House of Representatives of Dutch Parliament, in the period from August 2005 until the end of 2007.