Although millions of euros are allocated annually from the state coffers for the compensation of former officials, the proposal of the Europe Now Movement (PES) to reduce the deadline for their payment is still in the "drawer". However, they announce that the Government will deal with this issue in the future and that they expect the first ideas in the fall.
At the end of last year, the strongest constituent of the government announced that, in agreement with its partners from the parliamentary majority, it would propose changes to the set of laws so that the payment of the so-called officials' fees reduced from one year to six months. "Vijesti" then, referring to unofficial sources, announced that PES did not have the support of its colleagues from the majority.
The coalition agreement on power stipulates that the parliamentary majority will not support the adoption of acts that were not previously agreed upon by the collegium of the leaders of its constituents or the heads of parliamentary clubs of those parties.
As reported by TV Vijesti at the end of December, PES submitted a proposal to colleagues from the majority at that time, in which, in addition to reducing the payment term, it was stated that in order to receive compensation, it was necessary that someone had been in office for at least half a year, and it was also proposed to introduce the option to provide an assignment to a job in the system instead of compensation, if the need arises.
MP of PES Miodrag Laković, told "Vijesti" yesterday that they "completed that story (about compensation)", but that the Government declared that it would make changes to the Labor Law and the Regulation on compensation.
"We are waiting for their decision," he said, adding that this is the last information he has regarding the compensation issue.
Laković stated that as far as the PES parliamentary club is concerned, they will not take any action. He says that they are waiting for the decisions of the executive authority, which, he says, he expects most likely in September, because they are currently on vacation.
The Government did not answer the questions of "Vijesti" regarding what they have done regarding compensation, and if they have not done anything, when that topic will be on the agenda.
From the Center for Civic Education (CGO), they announced a few days ago that in the sea of fiscal measures introduced by the cabinet Milojko Spajić (PES), "many of which are of questionable public interest", persistently avoids one - the abolition of officials' fees.
Former officials, regardless of how long they were in office, have the legal right to receive compensation for the year in the amount of the last salary received. According to the data of the Action for Social Justice (ASP) from April, almost two and a half million euros were paid in compensation last year and this year alone. The data provided to "Vijesti" at the end of last year showed that almost a hundred former officials of the executive and legislative authorities receive compensation upon termination of office.
Executive Director of Action for Social Justice (ASP) Ines Mrdovic, she told "Vijesti" that the abolition or reduction of officials' fees is "an empty promise of parties and politicians".
"They are only declaratively advocating for a fair resolution of the issue, and when they sit down in their armchairs, the promise is 'swept under the carpet'." It is not realistic to expect that this issue will be resolved in the foreseeable future", she says.
The interlocutor states that in a country where MPs and half of the public administration "are paid to come to work, they are paid for fuel and given official cars to come to work", it is not realistic to expect that they will give up any benefit, even this "deeply socially unfair fees”.
"After all, MPs do not have to wait for the Government - they have the possibility of legislative initiative and can act by amendment. But, no one will give up receiving a 'salary' for a year and not doing anything. Practically, they receive money 'for inaction' and such a thing is possible only in a partitocracy, a state of colossal lack of rule of law and inveterate greed of political elites for public money", underlines Mrdović.
She said that since the time of the rule of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), the attitude towards public money has been completely unacceptable.
"In this country, there has always been money to fill someone's pockets, and on the other hand, thousands of citizens live with minimal wages, pensions, social security...", stated the director of the ASP, saying that it is devastating that several million euros is allocated to additionally fill the pockets of the power holders after their functions cease, and on the other hand, the state does not even have basic social services.
Official fees are defined by the laws on salaries of employees in the public sector and civil servants and state employees. That solution was introduced into the acts by the authority of the DPS.
The Law on Salaries of Employees in the Public Sector (Article 36) stipulates that officials have the right to receive compensation equal to the salary they received in the last month before the termination of office for one year after termination of office, with appropriate adjustment. The fee is realized at the user's personal request.
In the Law on Civil Servants and State Employees (Article 60), it is stated that an "appointed or appointed person", who has not been assigned to another workplace, has the right to compensation in the amount of the salary he had in the last month of performing the duties of the workplace in which he was either appointed or appointed, with appropriate coordination. The law leaves open the possibility that the "exceptional" right to compensation can be extended for another year, if during that time he acquires the right to a pension.
Yesterday, the Ministry of Finance did not answer the question of "Vijesti" whether they had submitted to the Government a proposal for amendments to the Law on Salaries in the Public Sector, which could also change the conditions for receiving officials' benefits, upon termination of office. Earlier, it was announced that the proposed changes would be submitted by the end of June.
"Former officials protected, citizens who lose their jobs discriminated against"
The NGO sector has repeatedly appealed to reduce the fees, shorten the period of their receipt and define who can receive them.
The CGO recently announced that the way former officials are protected discriminates against all other citizens of Montenegro who, after losing their jobs, are left without any income.
They say that citizens see ever-higher prices of various, and often basic, items every day, and add that if the announced fiscal strategy is adopted, an increase in value added tax in numerous categories will follow.
"In the sea of different measures that are being introduced, many of which are of questionable public interest, one measure is persistently avoided - the abolition of officials' fees", they stated on the "Iks" social network.
They remind that according to the findings of the survey from February 2022, 82 percent of citizens are in favor of abolishing officials' fees. That, they add, is more than convincing support, but that politicians consciously and willingly ignore it.
According to them, Montenegro does not set a world record only for the size of the Government, but also for how much it allocates for former officials.
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