Board members met with Anžura before the competition: Uncertain choice of new executive director "To Montenegro"

The members of the management of the state company "To Montenegro" had a meeting in Ljubljana two days before the announcement of the competition for the selection of the executive director with the Slovenian aviation expert Marko Anžura, who applied for that competition and who after the competition was declared the first choice and with whom they are negotiating the conclusion of the contract for the position of executive director.

This was confirmed by "News" from the company, but they state that they had conversations with several experts and that they were only presented with vacant positions in the Montenegrin state airline.

"Vijesti" asked on what occasion the members of the board of directors Pavle Ljesar and Orhan Hodžić and the acting executive director Saša Radović were in Ljubljana before or at the time when the competition for the executive director of "To Montenegro" was announced? Did the members of the board of directors talk to Marko Anžura on that occasion, and if so, on what occasion, as well as whether he was then discussed about the competition and his candidacy, that is, whether he was informed of the choice if he applied for the competition. The competition was announced on March 22.

"In the period from March 20 to 22, the "To Montenegro" delegation was on an official trip to Ljubljana and Zagreb as part of regular activities and cooperation with partners there. The meetings in Croatia were used to exchange experiences with "Croatia Airlines" and "ETF Airways" in the field of organizing the summer flying season, leasing aircraft, mutual engagement and exchange of resources in case of unforeseen situations, etc. A meeting was held with Slovenian aviation experts on the topic of creating a business plan, as well as experience on the project of the study of the justification for the existence of a national carrier, as this topic has become topical again in Slovenia. The opportunity was used to present to all interlocutors the open positions for executive director and commercial director in the company, in order to help their contacts to find the best candidates in the process of international public advertisement", the company stated.

Hodžić, who is the owner of the private company "Oki Air", which was a business partner of the Slovenian "Adria Airways" during the period when Anžur was its director, took part in these negotiations.

Anžur started gaining experience in aviation in April 2012, when he became the chief commercial officer at the Slovenian airline "Adria Airways". In December of the same year, he became the executive director and chairman of the board of directors of that company, where he remained until March 2016. The company was officially declared bankrupt in September 2019.

After leaving "Adria", Anžur was a manager or consultant in the companies "Stobart Air", "Stobart Air Holdings" and "UNEX Management Consulting" from Hamburg, which deals with aviation consulting, where he works now and where his position is listed as a partner.

Seven candidates applied for the director competition - Igor Pavićević, Dražen Ćorović, Mark Anžur, Wayne Pearce, Vuk Stojanović, Danilo Lakić and Goran Jandreoski.

Hodžić's company collected fees from passengers and did not forward the money to "To Montengru"?

For months, there has been a dispute between "To Montenegro" and the company "Oki Air", whose owner is Orhan Hodžić, who has also been a member of the board of directors of "To Montenegro" since last September.

According to "Vijesti" information, "Oki Air" charged passengers for "To Montenegro" flights for excess baggage, but part of that money was not reported and forwarded to "To Montenegro". It is allegedly a sum of more than one hundred thousand euros.

"Vijesti" sent questions to "To Montenegro" regarding whether they have claims from the company "Oki Air", if any, how much they amount to and on what basis they were created. The question was asked whether "ToMontenegro" plans to open its counter at Podgorica Airport in order to directly and independently collect tickets and fees for excess baggage.

The company replied that "Oki Air" is their renowned partner and that it is at the very top in terms of ticket sales, when it comes to travel agencies, but also that they sell the most tickets themselves through their portal and reservation system because they do not have counters at airports.

"In the strategy of direct online sales, which is a global trend, part of passenger services is outsourced, i.e. assigned to agents - specialized service providers at airports to perform these services for a fee. This makes our own business more rational and efficient. In this way, as a state-owned company, we contribute to the strengthening of the Montenegrin private sector, which deals with complementary activities. The selection of the partner itself is carried out in a transparent procedure prescribed by the regulations. Hence the reason for the continuation of excellent cooperation with all sales partners of 'To Montenegro', not only in Montenegro", the company replied.

They stated that the reconciliation of debts and claims with all partners is performed periodically and that there is no indication that there is a significant deviation towards any partner.

"All business arrangements are accompanied by appropriate mechanisms to protect the interests of the company, through bank guarantees and the like. The very details of the company's commercial strategy, like all air carriers, are autonomously decided, following only profitability, efficiency, safety and passenger satisfaction as the only criteria", the company stated.

"Vijesti" also asked questions to the email of "Oki Air" about why Hodžić was in Ljubljana and spoke with Anžura, whether they have debts to "To Montenegro", whether they regularly forward money from sold tickets and baggage fees, as well as whether there is a dispute regarding the calculation of excess baggage fees.

Hodžić was also asked whether he considered that because of these rules of procedure the relationship was in a conflict of interest, as well as whether, as a member of the board of directors, he was against the opening of the "To Montenegro" counter at Podgorica Airport, i.e. whether the opening of that counter would reduce the income of "Oki" Air".

"I inform you that at the moment of my appointment by the Government of Montenegro to the position of a member of the Board of Directors of the national airline 'To Montenegro', in accordance with the Law on Prevention of Corruption, I transferred my management rights to other persons within the stipulated period. I expect that you will receive other answers to the questions from the company", Hodžić stated in his answer.

Disputed Anžur's salary and severance pay

According to the company's Statute, the board of directors was supposed to select a candidate for the executive director after a competition of document review and interview of the candidate, and to send the candidacy to the Government, which elects the executive director.

Anjur was chosen as the first candidate after an interview on April 13, and since then there have been two sessions of the Government, but he was not elected.

According to "Vijesti" information, talks are ongoing with Anžura regarding his employment contract, and problems have arisen there. With the systematization of the airline company, the executive director's salary is defined at 3.200 euros, and Anžur allegedly now earns more than that.

The Slovenian also requested that his remaining in office be guaranteed with a high severance pay. The members of the board of directors were willing to meet him under both conditions, but the Government was asked to receive a proposal for his future employment contract for consideration in addition to the selection of the candidate.

According to "Vijesti" information, these are the reasons why his appointment has not been carried out so far.