The former workers of "Radoj Dakić" today celebrated 76 years since the establishment of the factory in the old government building, although, according to them, they have no reason to celebrate and nothing to brag about.
The representative of "Dakićevci" Milan Vukčević said that the former workers have been victims of the transition for years and "abuse by all the previous authorities who did not implement final verdicts".
"The average life expectancy is about 80 years, and we don't even have a job, and our pension is not adequate. We are discouraged and humiliated by poverty," said Vukčević.
He emphasized that the former workers are not connected with the 84 months of service.
He said that certain groups of former workers were sentenced to be paid the full amount, and that around 350 workers did not receive a cent yet.
"The day before yesterday, a decision was made that we 341 former workers will receive 25 percent of the amount owed to us. We will have to wait a little longer for it to be completed," said Vukčević. Vukčević addressed the greatest responsibility for the poor position of workers to the President of the State, Milo Đukanović, the former President of the Commercial Court, Blaž Jovanić, the former Mayor of Podgorica, Miomir Mugoša, and the bankruptcy trustee.
The former workers of the factory asked the Ministry of Finance for closer cooperation so that the debt for personal income and interest due to the workers, which was determined by final judgments in 2005 and 2006, would be paid in full and not in part.
The workers emphasized that the Government should implement the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
The representative of the Ministry of Finance, Miloš Medenica, who attended the meeting of former employees, said that the department intends to solve the problem that employees have with payments.
"We have full understanding for you and to solve your long-standing problems", he said and added that a meeting with them will be held soon.
The meeting of former employees began with a minute's silence for all the injured workers of "Radoja Dakić", among whom as many as 11 committed suicide.
"Radoje Dakić" was founded as a machine workshop in 1946, with the first tools taken from the occupiers.
In the 60s, the factory became the largest Yugoslav manufacturer of construction machinery - loaders, excavators, snow plows and other machines. The record was set in 1981 when they produced 692 machines.
The machines were exported to twenty countries on four continents, and at the end of the 60s, a license for their production in that country was sold to India.
At the end of the 80s, problems began for the factory's operations, and its workers are most responsible for the protests of 1989, which overthrew the previous leadership of Montenegro, and brought to power Momir Bulatović and Milo Đukanović, who were loyal to the then Serbian leadership led by Slobodan Milošević.
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