The Democrats' Club of Deputies sent today a proposal to amend the agenda to consider the draft law on compensation for workers in the wood processing industry at the session of the Assembly that will begin on December 17.
"According to the projections of the budget for 2025, an amendment was submitted to the procedure, which defines that the procedure for exercising the rights will be carried out during 2025, and the payment of funds in 2026. We believe that this is a compromise, honest and fair approach to public finances. and former workers. The proposed law is the same in terms of rights and obligations, the way of exercising rights and the amount of compensation as the one adopted by the Parliament of Montenegro for workers. metal and mining industries," announced Democrat MP Nikola Rovčanin.
He reminds that this law "partially corrects decades of injustice" towards former workers who lost their jobs in the wood processing industry during the transition period.
"The law foresees the acquisition of the right to a one-time compensation in the amount of 12 euros for solving the social and financial problems of former employees from the wood processing industry sector, who, due to the introduction of bankruptcy proceedings, were left without the possibility of further business engagement, exercising the right to the full amount of pensions and without funds for the basis of social programs. It can be stated that the employees of companies are the entities on which the long-term transition period left the most severe consequences," says Rovčanin.
He believes that there are "thousands of workers from various industries who have become victims of the transition". "But after compensating the workers of the metal and mining industry, as well as workers from other sectors on various grounds, we believe that it is the turn of the former woodworkers".
Using the example of Pljevlja, he showed why wood processors are subject to compensation.
"During the privatization of the wood processing giant 'Velimir Jakić' from Pljevlja, the company 'Vektra' Montenegro bought the factory for 1,6 million euros. On May 18, 2006, the Government of Montenegro adopted a decision writing off the debts owed to the privatized corporation 'Jakić' in in the amount of 1,5 million euros to the state and state-owned enterprises, and thus the new owner was completely freed from debt the shares of the employees also failed. A total of 326 workers owned shares in the company 'Velimir Jakić', not to mention the 529 employees who lost their jobs due to the opening of bankruptcy proceedings," says Rovčanin.
He expects all MPs to support this proposal, which, he says, will not financially affect the year 2025.
"Also, after the results of the population census and the fact that this measure refers to the north of the country, I believe that an additional argument is to direct the money to regions that are economically, economically and socially threatened, and especially to the category of citizens who are victims of the transition. If supported realization of this right for the metal and mining industry, if the issue of the housing fund for former employees of KAP is resolved, if the issue of 1500 workers of "Radoj Dakić" is resolved, if the issue of former employees of "Košuta" is resolved that I welcome and support all of this, I believe that wood growers who are the most socially vulnerable and live in the most underdeveloped region should not be left out. Therefore, I really expect absolute support for this proposal," said the Democrat MP.
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