The Independent Trade Union of Airports of Montenegro (ACG) has filed a criminal complaint with the Special State Prosecutor's Office (SDT) against the Director of ACG, Roko Tolić, and the Director of Tivat Airport, Ivan Rakočević.
They filed a report for, as they claim, abuse of official position, endangering the safe and secure operation of air traffic, negligent work in the service, and other related criminal offenses within the jurisdiction of the SDT.
They claim that Tolić and Rakočević "continuously abused their official position" and made decisions contrary to the Air Traffic Act, internal ACG acts, and international aviation safety standards.
This "created a direct and real danger" to the safety of aircraft, passengers, crews, flight and airport personnel, airport infrastructure, and thus the entire air traffic of Montenegro, said Biljana Knežević, president of the Independent Trade Union of Montenegro.
"The reported persons, by the described actions or inactions, fulfilled the elements of several criminal offenses from the Criminal Code of Montenegro: Article 416 - Abuse of official position; Article 416a - Serious abuse of official position; Article 337 - Endangering public traffic in air traffic; Article 417 - Negligent work in service; Article 422 - Violation of official duty in business operations; Article 423 - Causing danger to public goods of special importance," the statement reads.
It is also said that the actions of Tolić and Rakočević constitute "serious abuse of official position in an entity of special state importance", which calls into question not only the safety and security of air traffic, but also the international reputation and obligations of Montenegro in the field of civil aviation, as a full member of international civil aviation organizations.
They explained that the immediate cause for the criminal complaint was the assignment of their colleague Ljubomir Jovanović to the position of shift manager in the reception and dispatch service, "without any preparation, training or licensing, contrary to international aviation safety standards."
"With the fact that this act directly jeopardized the safety of the aircraft, crew, passengers, airport staff, airport infrastructure and consequently the entire air traffic of Montenegro, Jovanović informed the Executive Director Tolić and the Director of Tivat Airport Rakočević, as well as the Civil Aviation Agency of Montenegro, without any legal reaction to date," the statement states.
The independent ACG union, it was added, is joining the criminal prosecution of the individuals reported in the criminal report filed by Jovanović with the SDT on August 15th.
"There is a reasonable suspicion of a corrupt motive in the decision to deploy an incompetent person, as well as retaliation for the applicant's previous political activities. Also, the applicant is a high-ranking member of the Independent Trade Union of the Airports of Montenegro, who, through his dedicated and professional activities, exposes and prosecutes long-standing illegal activities in all segments of the Airports of Montenegro," the statement added.
Illegal, as they claim, decisions by the ACG management are an expression of "direct revenge and retaliation", which the ACG Independent Trade Union condemns.
They say that the union is "directly aware" that Jovanović's case is not an exception, and that other persons, without the appropriate mandatory training prescribed by the Air Traffic Act and internal airport acts, and without licenses, even for staying and moving in the sterile zone of the airport, perform specific, complex and very responsible tasks, of crucial importance for the safe conduct of operations at Tivat airport, both managerial tasks and other tasks in the processes of serving passengers and aircraft.
"We insist that SDT act on this report as soon as possible and prevent further endangerment of passengers, crew, as well as aircraft servicing processes, airport infrastructure as a strategic segment of Montenegrin air traffic."
They said that, in addition to two shift managers in the reception and departure service, "without licenses and appropriate prescribed training", there is also a "newly hired professional associate in the aircraft reception and departure service, as well as two colleagues in check-in and prior control of passenger passage before boarding the plane" working at Tivat Airport.
"A colleague who refused to drive a fire and rescue vehicle in a strictly controlled area of the airport, because he did not possess a license to drive a specialized vehicle in a special airport area, was punished with the explanation that he refused a work assignment, de facto due to a responsible approach and refusal to endanger the lives of passengers, crew, airport staff, and parked aircraft and airport infrastructure," the union added.
They said that "irresponsibility, disinterest and unprofessionalism, as well as ignorance, go to the extent that the use of stairs (aircraft servicing equipment) with faulty brakes is allowed at Tivat Airport."
"Employees work longer than legally prescribed working hours during the working day, without consent, due to unprofessional work organization and catastrophically poor preparation for the increased volume of operations in the summer season, without work clothes and equipment, without basic conditions for work and stay at the airport between operations, without drinking water in the area on the platform where temperatures exceed 50 degrees Celsius," the statement reads.
They recall that, after the meeting of representatives of the Independent Trade Union of ACG with employees at Tivat Airport on July 4, they requested an urgent meeting with Tolić, in order to present him with "knowledge about numerous irregularities at Tivat Airport", which their colleagues had informed them of, but that they did not receive a response.
"We therefore propose that the Special State Prosecutor's Office: initiate urgent investigative actions; obtain complete documentation on the assignment of shift managers and check-in officers and professional associates, without licenses; review personnel files, director's decisions, internal regulations and license reports; question all responsible persons at Tivat Airport and at the ACG Training Center; determine motives and possible corrupt actions; and, after the procedure has been conducted, file an indictment against the reported persons for the aforementioned criminal offenses," the statement reads.
The subject of the complaint relates to the abuse of position in a business company of particular importance for Montenegro, because the airport, "as is generally known, represents the strategic infrastructure of the state and a border crossing."
"The consequences of the actions of the reported persons may have international repercussions, jeopardize the international obligations and reputation of Montenegro as a member of international aviation organizations and cause serious economic, safety and security consequences, for which reason we expect prompt and efficient action by the SDT," said the president of the Independent Trade Union of ACG.
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