Some of the officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Police Directorate in the past few months have received almost the same amount of money as their basic salary based on the coefficient and length of service from compensation in various working groups, bodies, as well as supplementary work within that institution.
According to the numerous accounting lists that "Vijesti" had access to, it can be seen that some state secretaries of the Ministry of Interior, despite the legal prohibition, receive compensation for work in several working groups and bodies within the Ministry, although the Law on Prevention of Corruption is clear in Article 11 that in a month they can only be paid for one.
Precisely because of the payment of several benefits from several sources, which were conducted as additional work, some officials of the Ministry of Interior and the Police Directorate in the past few months had a salary of several hundred euros more than the Minister of the Interior Danilo Saranovic, and more than twice as much as most of the management staff in that and the UP system.
The Agency for the Prevention of Corruption stated in its response to the "News" that, in accordance with the Law, it will conduct an analysis of all information that indicates possible irregularities in the realization of public officials' income.
"If there are grounds for suspecting a violation of legal provisions, KAS will initiate the control procedure and take the necessary measures," the institution's reply reads.
They noted that the Law on Prevention of Corruption sets clear limitations regarding the realization of income from multiple sources.
In response to "Vijesti", the MUP sent an explanation for the two state secretaries Petar Koprivica i Novica Obradović, for which questions were sent, where they detailed in which bodies and in which month they received compensation.
The explanations of the Ministry of Interior coincide with the data from the calculation sheets that "Vijesti" had access to, and based on which it can be seen that they were paid compensation for two or more working bodies in one month, and that this practice was repeated in the past three of the month.
The fact that within the MUP system individual officials were paid more than one allowance during the month is best shown by the accounting list of State Secretary Petar Koprivica, who received a total of 7.883 euros of net earnings from the MUP for September, October and November.
For example, in November, in addition to the basic salary, which is 1.640 euros, Koprivica was paid three more benefits - two that were listed as supplementary work and one for membership in the work group.
So Koprivica received 370 euros for additional work in the National Interdepartmental and Operational Team last month, the same amount was paid to him for another additional engagement - in the National Interdepartmental Operational Team for Resilience.
In November, State Secretary Koprivica also received 400 euros in fees for membership in the Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction working group.
"These are specialized work teams with the task of performing multidisciplinary and strategic tasks of importance for Montenegro. Taking into account professional experience and professional qualifications, as well as the possession of domestic and NATO security clearance, State Secretary Petar Koprivica coordinates the work of these two teams as the national coordinator. Compensation is paid on the basis of the Contract on Additional Work, which is a special type of contract prescribed by Article 202 of the Labor Law, and is concluded for work performed outside of working hours," the MUP states.
The basic salary with allowances on different bases led to Koprivica receiving 2.780 euros in November, which is 650 more than what Minister Šaranović earned in the same month, whose net salary was 2.131 euros.
In the two previous months, in addition to the basic salary, Koprivica also received benefits for membership in the working group, but also another one registered as supplementary work in the National Interdepartmental and Operational Team.
In October, he was also paid a compensation of 368 euros based on the Agreement on the collection of damages for membership in the National Interdepartmental Operational Team for Resilience. A total of 2.778 euros was deposited into his account from the MUP that month.
The MUP stated in its response that Koprivica was paid a fee for engaging in the Working Group for the Development of the Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction, which was formed and financed with the support of the EU, for a period of one year (until December 2024), in the amount of 400 euros.
"Fees for work in this work body are provided from EU funds and do not fall under the burden of the state budget", they claim in the answer.
That the case of Koprivica is not an isolated one is also shown by an example from the payroll of the second state secretary of the MUP, Novica Obradović.
During November, in addition to his basic salary, he was paid two allowances - 370 euros as additional work in the National Interdepartmental Team for Resilience and 396 for membership in the working group - Coordination Body for the preparation of the National Assessment.
The total net earnings of Obradović in November amounted to 2.396 euros, and almost the same amount was paid to him in October as 367 euros were added to the basic salary and compensation in the working group based on the Agreement on compensation for damages based on additional work in the National Interdepartmental and Operational Team for resilience.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs clarified that since May 18, 2024, Obradović is a member of the Coordination Body for the preparation of the National Risk Assessment of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism and identified risks, and on this basis he receives a monthly fee in the amount of 396 euros.
In addition to the above, as stated by the MUP, Obradović has been a member of the National Operational Team for Resilience since July 12 of this year, and on this basis, during 2024, he received the amount of 365,65 euros for the month of July and the amount of 370,12 euros for October (which was paid with the November earnings).
As written in the answer, the money was paid to him on the basis of the Contract on Additional Work due to the increased volume of work in those working bodies "which he performed outside of working hours during the said two months".
The Ministry of Internal Affairs emphasized that the two are still members of working bodies, but that they did not receive compensation for that work engagement.
"Which clearly shows their commitment and willingness to contribute to the work of the Ministry and the community beyond the framework of material compensation", they state in the MUP.
Judging by the accounts of the MUP, another state secretary Jovana Mijović collects money from month to month in more than one body within that system.
During September, October and November, in addition to the basic salary, which amounted to around 1.400 euros, Mijović had compensation of 344 and 368 euros for additional work in the National and Interdepartmental Operational Team, and the compensation she received for three months was the same amount. for membership in the working group - Ethics Committee.
In contrast to them, some directors of the directorate had only a basic salary from month to month. Until recently, the general director of the Directorate for Normative Affairs and Police Development Iva Vukoslavčević she received a base salary of 1.300 euros, as well as acting general director of the Directorate for European Affairs, International Cooperation and Support Programs Tijana Šuković.
The other directors of the directorate also had a basic salary, judging by the calculation sheets, or only one fee for membership in one of the working bodies. Aleksandar Aleksic i Radovan Popovic, who were replaced last week, Zoran Kujović i Miodrag Bešović...
The Agency for the Prevention of Corruption told "Vijesti" that it regularly monitors the implementation of legal provisions and takes measures to prevent their violation.
"Such situations require serious attention and preventive action by all public institutions, including the Ministry of Internal Affairs. We recommend all public officials to comply with legal standards in order to maintain public trust in the work of state bodies", they state.
The agency appealed to public officials to review their own actions and comply with legal norms, in order to avoid potential sanctions.
The minister ordered an internal investigation
The Minister of Internal Affairs, Danilo Saranović, ordered an internal investigation to be carried out within the Ministry of Internal Affairs in order to obtain data from where "Vijesta" got the calculation lists of the salaries of officials and employees.
"Vijesti" was informed by several unofficial sources that an internal control order was issued to Zoran Kujović, director general of the Directorate for Security and Surveillance Affairs.
That Directorate, as told to "Vijesti", has already started checking officials in the MUP system who have contact with the accounting lists.
Šćepanović holds the record
The difference in the earnings of several assistants of the Police Administration, who have the status of public officials, is quite large, so some of them receive a little more than 1.200 euros a month in basic salary, and some net earnings with all allowances, bonuses, overtime and night hours and an allowance for operational from month to month they amount from 2.000 to 3.700 euros.
"Vijesti" therefore asked for clarifications on the calculation of net earnings for the current Acting Director of the Police Administration, Lazar Šćepanović, who has been the record holder in terms of earnings for the past three months.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs explained that Šćepanović, as the acting assistant director of the Sector for the fight against crime, was entitled to a basic salary of 1.222,42 euros in November, and then they stated on what basis the increase was paid to him.
"In addition to the November earnings, an annual award was paid on the occasion of the Internal Affairs Day, for a special contribution in the fight against organized crime and corruption, in the amount of 500 euros. Šćepanović was paid overtime hours during November in the amount of 271,05 euros. "He was paid overtime hours in September and October in the total amount of 495,63 euros," states the MUP.
Šćepanović was also paid compensation for his work in the Commission for the Determination of Security Disturbances in the amount of 300 euros, and the current police chief also receives compensation for additional work performed outside working hours for engagement in the Working Group - Development of the Police Administration and the National Interdepartmental Operational Team for prevention and suppression of violent extremism, terrorism, money laundering and terrorist financing in the total amount of 735,32 euros.
"The total income during November includes amounts that are not regular and do not represent the monthly earnings of Lazar Šćepanović. These allowances are the result of specific circumstances, as well as payments for the previous period", claims the MUP.
In November, FIU assistant Aleksandar Radović also received a net income of 2.700 euros, while in October he received 3.572 euros and was just a little short of reaching Šćepanović, who was paid 3.788 euros that month.
The other public officials of the UP were also paid significantly increased salaries in that month, which was not the case in September.
In that month, the net salary of UP director Zoran Brđanin was 1.456 euros, while the salary of former acting police director Nikola Terzić did not exceed 1.333 euros.
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