A member of the Army of Montenegro lost the chance to train at the Military School in Croatia in the 2024/2025 school year. because the Council for Security and Defense did not promote him to a higher rank in time.
Major VCG, whose name is known to the editorial staff, before going to the Croatian Military Academy "Dr. Franjo Tuđman" (HVU) had to be promoted in order to be able to study in Zagreb, which is what the relevant Minister of Defense Dragan Krapović informed the departmental Security and Defense Council on two occasions.
The Council for Defense and Security of Montenegro, which consists of the heads of state, parliament and government Jakov Milatovic, Andrija Mandic i Milojko Spajic, did not meet for nearly seven months, due to bad political relations between former party colleagues Spajić and Milatović. They held their last session on August 28, when the major was finally promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Before that, the Presidents of the Government and the Assembly signed the decision on his promotion to that rank, but Milatović did not do so until the Council session.
Spajić signed the decision on the promotion on June 26, and Mandić on July 5, said a "Vijesti" source familiar with the process.
Milatović's advisor for defense and security Dejan Vuksic he told "Vijesti" yesterday that the president has not signed and will not sign decisions that were not previously proposed and discussed at the Council for Defense and Security, as foreseen by the Constitution and the Rules of Procedure of the Council.
On August 17, the Ministry of Defense announced that the Minister of Defense submitted to the members of the Council a total of 96 draft decisions on appointments, dismissals and promotions of officers of the Army of Montenegro, of which Spajić signed all 96 decisions, Mandić 55, while Milatović, until then, had not signed not a single decision submitted for signature.
In the letter he sent to the Council yesterday, which "Vijesti" had access to, Krapović states that the Croatian Ministry of Defense sent Montenegrin colleagues a letter of invitation for the training of persons serving in the Army of Montenegro at the Croatian Military College "Dr. Franjo Tuđman" (HVU). in the 2024/2025 school year. year, among other things, for one attendee of the War School, along with specifying the conditions that the person who is referred to the subject training must fulfill.
This requirement is that the person they instruct has completed command and staff training, the rank of lieutenant colonel (OF4)/colonel (OF5) and English language proficiency of at least 65% LACPT/ECL.
It is stated that, in accordance with the procedure, on May 17, 2024, the Chief of the General Staff submitted a proposal to send the above-mentioned major to training at the War School, noting that the procedure for regular promotion to a higher rank is ongoing for him.
"Given that the session of the Council for Defense and Security, despite several attempts to schedule it, was held on August 28, at which the decision was made to promote the major to the rank of lieutenant colonel on December 31, it was not possible to inform the Ministry earlier of the Defense of the Republic of Croatia on the aforementioned", the Minister states in a letter to the Council.
He emphasized that after the signing of the act on the major's promotion, the Ministry of Defense undertook activities within its competence to send the now lieutenant colonel to training at the War School, which was supposed to start on September 2, 2024. Krapović states that the Croatian Ministry informed them that it is no longer possible to refer the lieutenant colonel to that training.
"Taking into account the above, we inform you that in this way we have lost a position for one candidate of the VCG for training at the Military School in the Republic of Croatia, in the 2024/2025 school year. year, which is of the operational-strategic level, that is, the highest level of military training", the memo states.
In his letter to the Council, Krapović states that on two occasions - on June 24 and July 30 - he addressed the members of the Council in order to point out the need to urgently schedule a session of the Council, i.e. to make decisions on appointments, dismissals and promotions of officers of the Army of Montenegro.
"Delays in making these important decisions seriously threaten the command in Army units, the filling of the most important formation positions in NATO and the implementation of bilateral plans related to education and training."
The Council for Security and Defense, according to the Constitution (Article 130), makes decisions on the command of the Army of Montenegro, analyzes and evaluates the security situation in the country, appoints, promotes and dismisses army officers, proposes to the parliament the declaration of a state of war and state of emergency, as well as the use of the army in international forces, and performs other tasks determined by the Constitution or the law.
In his letter to the Council, Krapović states that due to the delay in making decisions, the employees are forced to claim their rights, due to the actual performance of their duties, before the competent agencies and courts due to the damage they are suffering, which was not caused by the failure of the ministry.
"In addition to all of the above, this kind of relationship also jeopardizes bilateral military cooperation, in the specific case with the Republic of Croatia."
Vukšić: It is clear why the abolition of unanimity is sought
"Vijesti" asked the President of Montenegro if it is true that he was the only one who did not sign the decision on the promotion of a major of the Army of Montenegro to the rank of lieutenant colonel.
His cabinet did not answer whether it was true whether Vukšić was informed that the decisions were prepared for signature and signed by the Prime Minister and the Assembly, and that the Ministry of Defense received an answer that Milatović would not sign the decisions until the Council session was held.
"Unfortunately, they are trying to replace theses here. Instead of asking why the Prime Minister, at the persistent insistence of the President, cannot find a free time and come to the Council session, where vital decisions need to be made, including the one you are asking about, someone wants to create a narrative justifying the continuation of the previous practice of decisions are made and signed without the Council, and in the specific case without the participation of the President of the State. Due to all of the above, it is now clear why there is an insistence on changing the Rules of Procedure of the Council", replied Vukšić.
Mandić proposed to change the rule according to which the Council makes all decisions by consensus, so that in the future decisions could be made by a majority of 2:1. Spajić and Milatović announced that they will make a statement about it when they receive a formal proposal.
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