The Employment Service is demanding 12 million, the loans were also for votes

The Employment Agency sent warnings before the forced collection of more than a thousand loans worth around 12 million euros, which were distributed for self-employment since 1999, and were never returned, nor did the previous administrations of that institution raise the issue, "Vijesti" learns.

The initiative was initiated by the President of the Management Board of the Institute Dejan Vojvodic, after asking the services for data on disbursed and unpaid loans. The procedure of reminders and forced collection on behalf of the Institute is initiated by banks that had a contract with the Institute on so-called commission work during the periods of loan issuance and which were then paid in advance to monitor and collect these loans on behalf of the Institute.

According to the self-employment lending program from 1999 and 2005, a total of 48 million euros of state money was spent for these purposes through the Institute and commission banks. Those favorable loans were given with symbolic interest, so that the total amount to be returned was 54 million euros. Of that amount, 12 million euros or about 22 percent of the loan funds approved by the government were never returned.

None of the previous administrations raised the issue

The winners of those favorable loans were supposed to transfer the right to some real estate of greater value than the issued loan to the Institute by way of fiduciary - pledge. However, although some paid only one installment, forced collection against over a thousand users, among whom there are many well-known members and activists of former ruling parties, was never initiated by the management of the Institute or commission banks. Since then, six directors and several presidents and board members have changed.

According to "Vijesti" information, their failure to act may now also have criminal liability, because it is possible that a part of those loans is out of date or that the spent state money will not be collected through forced collection, after the expiry of two decades from the approval of the loan.

In the past few days, the winners of those loans have received warnings from the banks that they must repay the entire remaining part of the debt within 15 days, or the pledged property will be taken from them through the fiduciary. After that, they will also be charged late interest for the period from when they were supposed to repay the loan until the final payment.

Vojvodic told "Vijesta" that these problems were not solved satisfactorily in previous years, but were pushed under the carpet, and the collection of the multimillion-dollar debt was silently prolonged.

"A few months ago, the Board of Directors ordered the Institute to take a more serious approach to monitoring the given loans. Orders were also given to all banks through which loans for self-employment were placed that they must inform all debtors about their obligations, otherwise the Institute has legal mechanisms to collect its claims, because the loans that were given were not donated," said Vojvodic.

The parties promised that the loans do not have to be repaid

He cites as an example that they have cases where loans for self-employment in the amount of 15.000 euros were paid, and the beneficiaries have not returned even one hundred euros since 2005. It also indicates the possibility that these loans were used for political or party needs.

"The practice of false promises that loans will be forgiven or cancelled, in return for giving political votes, is being stopped. These days, we have various complaints from citizens that they were "promised" by some political entities that the loans were written off, canceled and that they would not be returned. Loans for self-employment must be returned to the state coffers. The question arises as to what the previous management and board of directors of the Institute did, what did they take care of, if not state property. I believe that there should be responsibility at all levels, and there must be responsibility for omissions and damage caused," Vojvodić said.

The long-term directors of the Institute from this period were a married couple A she-wolf i Zoran Jelic, Suljo Mustafić.. while in several mandates she was the president of the Board of Directors Ranka Pavićević, and before her Arijana Nikolić Vučinić...

Will anyone answer?

Vojvodić publicly raises the question of why the banks themselves did not react on time in the event of a delay in accordance with the contractual obligations, and they were paid in advance by the Institute to monitor the realization of the placed loans.

"Did someone quietly let it go? Why did the Institute and the then Management Board as a collective body allow this? Have time-barred claims arisen in some cases and will someone be held responsible for such negligent treatment of state property?" said Vojvodić, stating that the Institute will do everything in its power to collect these debts and return them to the state.

Breaking up with Prva was a mistake

Most of these loans were distributed by commission through Prva banka, formerly Montenegro banka which is now NLB banka, former Podgorica banka whose legal successor is Crnogorska komercijalna banka...

Vojvodić also states that the previous management and the Board of Directors of the Institute made a big mistake when they unilaterally terminated the contract with Prva banka, because it made it difficult to collect claims, and that bank had already been paid for those services.

"They made a big mistake when they canceled the commission contract with First Bank, to which the Institute had already paid in advance to monitor the realization of loans for self-employment that were placed to citizens to start their own businesses, as well as to other banks. That termination caused additional damage to the Institute, which the current Board of Directors and the Institute's management had to correct under other conditions for payment of the monitoring of the implementation of those old loans," said Vojvodic.

In February 1999, the Government of Montenegro adopted the Program for Continuous Stimulation of Employment and Entrepreneurship in Montenegro. Through that program, credit funds were allocated for the realization of business ideas that contain new employment, all with the aim of encouraging the development of entrepreneurship and small businesses. In 2008, this program was improved with the adoption of the Innovative Program for Continuous Stimulation of Employment and Entrepreneurship in Montenegro.

It will improve the enforcement and collection of claims

Vojvodić states that, in accordance with the concluded contracts, banks were in charge of conducting court cases against borrowers who misused loans or did not repay them in accordance with the repayment plan.

"Over the course of more than two decades, some banks have been shut down, contracts with some banks have been terminated, and bankruptcy proceedings have been initiated in some banks. For the credit placements that were monitored in those banks, the initiation of court proceedings and their management were dominantly in the competences of the department that deals with legal affairs in the Institute, from whom we as the Board of Directors expect to speed up the further procedure of implementation and collection of claims," ​​said Vojvodić.