NGO "Buša": The Senate decides whether to protect the reputation of the University of Montenegro and the consistent application of standards

The non-governmental organization "Buša" announced that, due to "serious doubts and open questions" regarding the allocation of funds from the 2024 Agrobudget intended for the preservation of indigenous genetic resources, they did not only address the prosecutor's office and the competent ministry, but that on March 23, they officially sent an initiative to the Senate of the University of Montenegro.

"This issue can no longer be reduced to an administrative or technical level. These are allegations from the criminal complaint that relate to the manner of distributing public money and the application of prescribed criteria, but also to the responsibility of the person who participates in decision-making in the highest academic body of the state," the statement reads.

They remind that criminal charges have been filed against Senate member Prof. Dr. Božidarka Marković "due to the way funds were distributed in a program that should serve the purpose of protecting the most endangered indigenous races."

"Additional weight to this case is the fact that it is not an isolated incident. The proceedings before the Ethics Committee of the University of Montenegro were conducted by the Center for Civic Education (CCE) from Podgorica against the then dean Božidarka Marković and members of the commission, where irregularities were established in 2023 and an ethical penalty was imposed. This penalty was a consequence of irregularities in the implementation of the public competition for the admission of teaching assistants at the Biotechnical Faculty, which, as was determined at the time, violated the provisions of the Code of Ethics relating to preserving the integrity of the institution and protecting its reputation. On that occasion, Prof. Dr. Božidarka Marković, as well as members of the commission – Prof. Dr. Ranko Prenkić, Prof. Dr. Aleksandar Odalović and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tatjana Popović were sanctioned," the NGO reminds.

They say that these circumstances "open up the issue of the continuity of controversial situations, in which previously established irregularities are linked to new allegations from the criminal complaint." "Therefore, this case cannot be viewed in isolation, but as a matter of institutional responsibility and credibility," they add.

Therefore, as they said, they sent a formal initiative to the Senate of the University of Montenegro to include this issue as a separate item on the agenda, open a debate and "consider whether there are elements to initiate proceedings in accordance with the Statute and the Code of Ethics."

"The public must know that this is not media pressure, but a matter of institutional responsibility. In a situation where a member of the Senate is linked to a criminal complaint, and there is a previously established violation of ethical norms, the lack of reaction cannot be seen as a neutral act. Such an approach could raise the issue of consistent application of standards and further affect public trust in the University of Montenegro as the highest academic institution," the statement reads.

They say it is "particularly concerning" that in public statements by those in authority, "the problem is often reduced to procedural issues," even though it is a topic that has broader implications for transparency and the management of public funds.

"NGO Buša therefore points out that every institution must do its part. The prosecutor's office should investigate the allegations in the criminal report, the competent ministry should provide complete and clear answers, and the Senate of the University of Montenegro should decide on the issue of academic and ethical responsibility. Therefore, we emphasize once again: NGO Buša has also officially written to the Senate of the University of Montenegro. We did this because we believe that no institution should remain passive when there are serious indications of a possible violation of the law, ethical norms and public interest," the organization states.

They said that, otherwise, the question remains whether the standards are equally applicable to everyone and whether institutions consistently protect their own integrity.

The Senate of the University of Montenegro, they say, is now deciding whether to protect the reputation of the University and the consistent application of standards.

"In addition, we would like to point to a specific example that confirms the problem of criteria and consistency of the system. The Balkan goat, as an indigenous breed, was recognized and financed through the Agrobudget for 2025, while at the same time it was omitted from the Eco-Fund program worth 175.000 euros - without a publicly available explanation. This inconsistency between state mechanisms raises a key question: by what rules is it decided who is entitled to public funds and how is it possible for the same breed to be supported in one program and omitted in another. Especially considering that the criteria for the Eco-Fund were defined by professional structures connected to the same institutional framework," the statement reads.