Defense Minister Dragan Krapović said that they have prepared a proposal for a regulation on the salaries of employees of the Army of Montenegro, which foresees an increase in salaries. The government will consider the proposal this week.
"One of the most important issues faced by the employees of the Army of Montenegro is the material situation. We all saw that we exploited this topic for the past year. Improving the material situation is one of the most important issues," said Krapović at the press conference.
He explained that it is planned that the most indebted categories, contract soldiers, will have the largest increase.
"We put a special emphasis on making every member of the Army of Montenegro happy. As for contract soldiers, these are average increases. Their increases will be 25 percent. Non-commissioned officers will have an increase of about 20 percent. Officers will have an average salary increase of about 10 percent. "Civilians with a university degree will receive an increase of around 15 percent," the minister said.
With these increases, the salary of soldiers with secondary education will range from 790 to 850 euros. Until now, that range was from 630 to 670 euros, Krapović pointed out.
"In addition to large procurements and improving the level of equipment, this is a key thing. Without this, the Army of Montenegro cannot provide the state with what it needs. This was preceded by 'Europe Now'", Krapović reminded.
Medical staff with a secondary school education will have their salary increased by around 160 euros, and those with a university degree by around 200 euros.
After the adoption of the decree, conditions will be created for increasing the salary of persons sent to work in diplomatic consular missions, as well as those in the missions of the United Nations, the European Union and NATO, explained the minister.
Krapović says that this is "just the beginning of a fundamental reform of the defense system".
He also said that he is "finalizing" the laws on the Army and defense, which will make it easier to join the Army, treat the housing needs of employees...
"We have the dissatisfaction of a part of former military personnel due to not getting apartments or getting apartments of small square footage, because the former regime distributed apartments on a political basis," said the Minister of Defense.
Krapović on "Jadran": I have not changed my position
When asked by a journalist whether Montenegro will change its decision and return the school ship Jadran due to EU integration, as well as whether he thinks that Croatia will stop integration, he replied that he has not changed his position, and that foreign affairs are the responsibility of Minister Ervin Ibrahimović, and the European integration of the Minister of European Affairs, Maida Gorčević.
Krapović previously said that "Jadran" is the legal and legitimate property of Montenegro and that there are no negotiations about it.
"It is also possible that the soldiers committed a violation, detention is a draconian punishment"
When asked by a journalist whether it is true that the soldiers who were arrested in Kosovo did not inform their superiors that they would go to that neighboring country and whether they would be sanctioned, he said that there are possible processes that will be conducted outside his department.
"The campaign is over, I didn't want to warm up during the campaign. I think 30 days is too much. It's also possible that they committed some offense, but that detention seems like a draconian punishment to me," he announced.
When asked by journalists if the Ministry of Defense is in contact with the Kosovo authorities to release the detained soldiers, Krapović said that these contacts are made through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"We, of course, communicate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs within the country".
"How will the Council make decisions, when there is no one to explain them"
Krapović confirmed that tomorrow is the session of the Council for Security and Defense, and that it is up to the president of the Council to assess who should attend it.
"I did not receive an invitation and I express my concern as to how they will make the decisions that have been proposed because there will be no one to explain them," he pointed out.
Krapović did not answer why he was not invited, and that he was not eager to attend, but he said that as a responsible man, he will do his job and attend where he thinks he should.
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