The leader of Free Montenegro and the suspended head of the Capital City Citizens' Service Vladislav Dajković announced that he has filed an appeal against the decision to temporarily suspend him from work.
He confirmed this to "Vijesti".
On January 12, Podgorica Mayor Saša Mujović issued a decision to initiate disciplinary proceedings and a suspension until the end of those proceedings against Dajković, on suspicion of committing a serious breach of official duty, because he attended a protest against the construction of a wastewater treatment plant in the Zeta settlement of Botun during working hours.
"I inform the public that on January 20, 2026, through my attorney, I filed an appeal against the decision on temporary suspension from work (suspension). I filed the appeal for all legal reasons, because I consider the decision made to be completely illegal and based on fabricated facts," he told "Vijesti".
As he pointed out, the decision he is challenging charges him with "failure to perform, negligent and negligent performance of official duties".
"I believe that as the head of the service, I have always been available to all citizens and ready to meet their needs, and there have been no complaints about my work and performance of work duties, a fact that is indisputable and well known to the person who issued this decision. The same decision states that I violated Article 4, paragraph 2 of the Code of Ethics of Elected Representatives and Officials in Local Self-Government of the Capital City, by which I allegedly endangered and undermined the interests of the Capital City. The person who issued the decision expresses this conclusion even though he is not competent for this, but something like that - a violation of the code of ethics - can only be determined by the competent Commission," said the leader of Slobodna Crne Gore.
As he pointed out, by expressing his support for the citizens of Botun, he expressed his personal position and opinion on the issue of the construction of a wastewater treatment plant, which, he states, is his right to freedom of expression "guaranteed by Article 47 of the Constitution of Montenegro and international conventions ratified by the Parliament of Montenegro".
"Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right that cannot be suspended by norms prescribed by any employer, not even the Capital City of Podgorica. If I had been guided by personal interest in my actions and if my position was more important to me, I would never have come forward in the manner mentioned. However, I admit and realize one of my mistakes, which is that I thought, obviously wrongly, that on August 30, 2020, the time had come in Montenegro when it would no longer happen that people would suffer consequences for having a different opinion," he said.
"At the end of this address, I would like to emphasize that I do not regret or question my expressed position in the slightest, and that the freedom I have in expressing my opinion is more valuable to me than anything else, which has been, I think, obvious through my actions and work so far," Dajković added.
He said that he can't wait for the continuation of the "fabricated process, some new 'coup d'état'" because, as he points out, he wants to see on the basis of what facts someone will try, "in some Kafka-style process" to declare him guilty of all those "fabricated violations of work obligations" that he is accused of, which "did not happen."
If the Disciplinary Commission of the Government of Montenegro establishes Dajković's responsibility, Podgorica Mayor Saša Mujović said he would dismiss him.
The explanation of the decision to initiate disciplinary proceedings states that there is material evidence in the form of photographs, videos and posts from social networks, which point to a reasonable suspicion that there has been a breach of official duty. "All allegations and evidence will be considered in the disciplinary proceedings, which will be conducted, in accordance with the law, by the Disciplinary Commission of the Government of Montenegro," the Capital City announced after the decision was made.
Dajković's Free Montenegro left power in Podgorica after Mujović's decision.
"We will initiate talks with all government officials in Podgorica, and above all with our colleagues from the Democratic People's Party (DNP) about initiating the dismissal of Mujović and shortening the mandate of the assembly," said Free Montenegro councilor Boban Radević at the time.
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