The five-day stay of the sixteen-member delegation of the Government and Parliament of Montenegro at the 69th session of the United Nations (UN) Commission on the Status of Women in New York cost citizens 47.642 euros.
This was told to "Vijesti" by the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights, whose head is Fatmir Đeka (Democratic Party) led the delegation.
She stayed in New York from March 8 to 13, and her accommodation cost 26.404 euros, transportation costs 10.040, while 11.198 euros were allocated for daily allowances.
Đeka attended the same event last year, accompanied by two representatives of the department he heads.
According to the Government platform, this year's delegation included, in addition to Đeka, four other ministers - the Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorcevic, Minister of Education, Science and Innovation Anđela Jakšić Stojanović, Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Dialogue Naida Nišić (all three from PES), as well as the Minister of Transport Maja Vukićević (DNP).
The Assembly was represented by its Vice President Zdenka Popović (Democrats), representatives Aleksandra Despotović, Zoja Bojanić Lalović (both from DPS), Jelenka Andric (PES) and Sladjana Kaluđerović (SNP). According to the platform, the delegation also included Zarija Vujović, advisor to Zdenka Popović.
The Director of the Directorate for Normative, Legal and Personnel Affairs at the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) also traveled to New York. Snežana Ionica, Director of the Directorate for the Protection of Equality of Persons with Disabilities at the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights Irena Rakocevic, Head of the Department for Gender Equality Affairs in the same department Biljana Pejovic, State Secretary at the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Dialogue Andjela Bašović and translator Milica Kadic Akovic.
"The costs of travel, accommodation and per diem for the members of the delegation were borne by the ministries from which the members come, except for Minister of European Affairs Gorčević, whose airfare and accommodation costs were covered by the UNDP Office in Montenegro. The costs of travel, accommodation and translation services for the translator were borne by the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights. The costs of travel, accommodation and per diem for the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament and the MPs were borne by the Parliament," the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights responded to "Vijesti".
Mrdović: It's not the relationship that's inappropriate, it's the arrogance
Director of Action for Social Justice (ASP) Ines Mrdovic, told "Vijesti" that the departure of a large Montenegrin delegation to New York was "indiscretion at the highest level."
"This is no longer an inappropriate attitude towards public money, but pure arrogance. Even Norway, with a fund for future generations measured in billions of euros, would take care of the appropriate spending of public money, let alone poor Montenegro, which has been living off new and new debts for years," she assessed.
Mrdović stated that she does not see any particular benefits from the Montenegrin delegation's visit to New York.
"If I were to be ironic, I would say that even if New York had been expected to find a magic formula for solving - not the issue of women's leadership, but human rights in general - people wouldn't have come in such large numbers," she added.
The interviewee said that four ministers and the line minister "left the pressing issues" in their departments and traveled to New York, and that female MPs from the government and the opposition should, "across the 'great pond', discuss gender equality issues with female MPs from Slovenia, which is on our doorstep."
"Unbelievable..." said Mrdović, adding that, in that sense, one gets the impression that those who traveled to New York exclusively benefit from this visit.
"Because staying in this unreal and magical city in itself, even on a business trip, is a huge life satisfaction and a dream of many people around the world," notes the ASP director.
The delegation is large and it was previously impossible to travel in such numbers, claims an interlocutor familiar with the work of the parliament and the government. She said that previously it was not allowed - except when a member of parliament officially receives an invitation by name and surname, or if the Speaker of the Assembly receives an invitation - to send a delegation. She notes that the collegium of the Speaker of the Assembly gives approval for travel.
The Assembly did not agree with questions from "Vijesti" whether it was necessary for such a large delegation to go to New York, and how many parliamentary representatives went to that event in previous years.
"Previously, it was certainly stricter to go on a trip and the composition of delegations was necessarily a reciprocity of strength in parliament - both the government and the opposition. It was also mandatory to write a report to the Committee on International Relations," the interlocutor stated.
Ministry: Event of special importance
When asked whether it was necessary for such a large delegation to go to New York, Đeko's department did not directly answer. They said that Montenegro "actively participated in the 69th session of the Commission (CSW69), the largest global UN gathering dedicated to gender equality after the UN General Assembly."
They claim that the event had special significance because it marked the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action - a key international document for the realization of women's rights and gender equality.
"For Montenegro, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action are of particular importance because they laid the foundations for the development of national policies and strategies aimed at promoting gender equality," the Ministry said.
They state that, over the past 30 years, Montenegro has taken significant steps in implementing these recommendations, including the adoption of a Constitution and laws that proclaim and guarantee gender equality. They also add that institutional mechanisms have been established to create and monitor the implementation of gender equality policies, “while strategies and action plans aimed at improving the position of women in various areas of social life have become key instruments for achieving this goal.”
"This year's session of the Commission is the largest global gathering of state officials and experts in the field of gender equality, at which Montenegro co-organized a special panel 'Women's Leadership and Challenging Global Trends', with the UNDP Office and the Women's Leadership Network, thus confirming its commitment to promoting women's leadership and a stronger commitment to achieving gender equality in the country," said Đeko's department.
Pepper costs
Of the 26.404 euros spent on accommodation costs for the delegation, the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Dialogue allocated 4.528, the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation - 2.445, the Ministry of Transport - 1.630, the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights - 5.437, the Directorate for Normative, Legal and Personnel Affairs of the Ministry of the Interior - 1.894 and the Parliament - 10.470 euros.
Of the 10.040 euros allocated for transportation costs, the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Dialogue provided 1.405, the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation - 651, the Ministry of Transport - 603, the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights - 2.405, the Ministry of the Interior - 630 and the Parliament - 4.345 euros.
The amount of planned expenses for daily allowances for all members of the delegation amounted to 11.198 euros. Of this, the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Dialogue allocated 1.460, the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation - 786, the Ministry of Transport - 561, the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights - 2.192 (plus 1.250 euros for interpreter costs), the Parliament - 4.385 and the Ministry of the Interior - 561 euros.
Assembly: Invitation sent by organizers
The Parliament of Montenegro later sent a response to "Vijesti" today stating that the Deputy President of the Parliament of Montenegro Zdenka Popović, as well as MPs Aleksandra Despotović, Zoja Bojanić Lalović, Jelenka Andrić and Slađana Kaluđerović were sent a direct invitation by the organizers:
"To participate for the first time in this year's 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, within which Montenegro, together with the UNDP Office and the Women's Leadership Network, co-organized a special panel "Women's Leadership and Challenging Global Trends".
The costs of the delegation's official trip, as they state, will be borne by the Parliament of Montenegro.
Bonus video:
