The Association of Pensioners from Podgorica claims that their membership fees have been illegally spent for years, that is, they are being robbed.
He told "Vijesti" that Ivan Grdinić, adding that due to years of robbery, they filed a criminal complaint with the special state prosecutor Nataša Bošković.
As of July 21, the Police Administration did not answer whether they had checked the allegations of the criminal complaint filed by pensioners in the summer of 2020 against the Association of Pensioners Podgorica, due to the alleged illegal spending of money from membership fees.
Grdinić said that their findings, based on, as he claims, irrefutable evidence, show that the most responsible in the Federation of Associations and the Association of Pensioners of Podgorica show almost no willingness to take the measures available to them against those who abuse their position and commit crimes.
"And for several reasons, which is the case with the most responsible individuals of the pension organization from Podgorica", said Grdinić on behalf of the coordination board of several local associations in Podgorica.
He asked, on behalf of the coordination committee, what are the concrete merits of the president of the Association and his associate Ilija Stanisic, pointing out that the question arises of the credibility of those most responsible in the organization of pensioners of Montenegro to represent the interests of pensioners and to responsibly perform their social role.
"Such a claim gains even more weight if one takes into account the fact that the president of the Association violated the Law on the Prevention of Corruption, which was determined by the final decision in the procedure of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption. This decision was confirmed by the Basic Court in Bar, and issued a final verdict that the president of the Association of Montenegro should pay a fine of 500 euros and return 11.000 euros of illegally taken money".
He pointed out that their goal is to inform pensioners how their membership fees are illegally spent, as well as the illegal actions of the immediate leadership of the president of the Association of Pensioners of Podgorica and some of his closest associates.
"It is high time to review their work and responsibility, including civil liability, in the review of material and financial operations... Income intended for humanitarian aid to pensioners is a part of the funds that is separated from the total income from membership fees and by the decision of the Association's authorities is strictly intended as aid the poorest and most health-impaired pensioners and cannot be used for other purposes... For the period 2014-2019. 394.421,21 euros were set aside from pensioner membership fees, explicitly for humanitarian aid to the most vulnerable pensioners. Of that amount, 188,934 euros were allegedly distributed without documentation, i.e. lists, identification numbers and signatures of the pensioners to whom the money was distributed. The difference between the total amount and the allegedly divided amount is 290.725,60 euros. It is not known where the money is, and there is no record of where it disappeared."
He also claims that in the annual report from 2015, in the dedicated income section under item 1, 58.543,72 euros are stated for the construction of the pensioners' club in Blocks 5 and 6, and the dedicated expenses for the same clubs are identical.
"In construction logic, it's hard to believe that in construction and craft work, income and expenses match within one cent. It is interesting to note that there is no club, no money. The question arises - where is that money? In addition, it is a scandalous example of how expenses are justified for the annual assembly of 42 delegates, which lasts two hours and a two-hour snack - all of which was allegedly paid 12.594 euros," said Grdinić, adding that this is repeated every year.
"In the annual report for 2014, it is justified - 1.374.01 euros for car maintenance and registration, and the car does not exist. The Pensioners Administration of Podgorica pays EUR 9.000,00 for accounting services of income and expenses of three sheets. Such and similar examples have been repeated for over 10 years. We, who have been fighting against illegal and criminal actions since 2014, could not stand in the way of such criminal acts, because the president of the Association of Pensioners of Podgorica, the president of the Alliance, their leadership, the presidents of local associations and their committees were members of the Democratic Party of Socialists, with the exception of three local associations", he claims.
Grdinić announces that the Coordination Committee will do everything to replace the existing administration of pensioners in Podgorica and accuses the tax inspector of colluding with the administration of the Podgorica pensioners' association:
"After its control, they invited all the secretaries or presidents of local associations to bring stamps, in order to sign and certify the granting of humanitarian aid retroactively for 2018".
Two days ago, in response to similar accusations, Stanišić told "Vijesta" that the police investigation and financial inspection of the Revenue Administration rejected the reports of the Coordination Board on several occasions, after determining that there was no unscrupulous business.
"They found that there are no elements of a misdemeanor, let alone a criminal charge. The Revenue Administration has reviewed the reports for years and found nothing objectionable," Stanišić said, adding that the board accusing him was not registered anywhere.
Grdinić reminded that a few months ago the Deputy Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic met with the delegation of the Association of Pensioners of Montenegro, stating that this is a good reason for a more comprehensive review of the situation in the pension organization as a whole.
"Especially when it comes to the Association of Pensioners of Podgorica, where there are major problems and irregularities. What should be singled out and emphasized in connection with the aforementioned meeting is the optimistic statement of Abazović, who emphasized that the Government has a special sensitivity towards pensioners and that a quality answer will be found".
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