Vasvija Košuta from the Rožaj village of Pripeč claims that she has not been able to receive foster care benefits for about two years, because she does not have the money to bribe the officials of the Center for Social Work.
He believes that most of them are susceptible to bribery and corruption, which he substantiates with a personal example in which he claims that the lawyer at the Center, Zineta Sutović, as a counter-service "for a positive response in exercising her rights, asked her to "clad her house".
Vasvija takes care of her son's daughter, who was abandoned by her mother at birth. The child's father, who has been convicted several times and is currently serving a prison sentence, is also not interested in taking care of the girl.
The girl stayed with a foster family for a while, after which her grandparents took her in.
She congratulated them on the contract
"For about half a year, we received foster care. When we signed the contract just for her, Sutović congratulated us and asked us to cover her house. She even took my husband to make an estimate of the works. We didn't have the 720 euros we needed, which is why we were harassed at the Center for Social Work, where we couldn't get the right to child support for our four-year-old granddaughter for about two years. I was asked for something in return for something to which I have a legal right," said Vasvija.
I wonder why my granddaughter does not have the same rights as other children who are in a similar situation. People take care of dogs, but no one takes care of my granddaughter, who lives without both parents
"I wonder why my granddaughter does not have the same rights as other children who are in a similar situation. People take care of dogs, but nobody takes care of my granddaughter who lives without both parents. I responsibly claim that half of the guardians who have exercised their right through the Rožaj social institution she has family ties with the employees of that institution. They even suggested that I give the child to a home in Bijela, but I can't do that because I am the only mother she has and knows," said Vasvija.
She claims that she has evidence of other cases in which other officials allegedly asked the parties for some kind of counter-favors.
They are also looking for wood and cheese
"The majority of those who receive any kind of social benefits are hired workers employed in that institution. Rožaj Center for Social Work is not a social institution but a market where you can get everything if you give something in return. Everyone who asks for some kind of right in that institution must provide the employed individuals with either wood or cheese, and if they don't have that, then they are asked to dig around their houses or even work on their buildings that they are building on the coast," claims Vasvija.
For two years now, I have been asking to be received by the Minister of Social Welfare to present and document the entire situation, but I can't get to him either. I am not asking to change the law, but only to act according to it
"Socialists must not talk about it because they would be left without the little money they receive. Poor them, that's all I can say. Many people said to me too - 'shut up poor thing'. I won't. I will go to Strasbourg for my rights. For two years now, I have been asking to be received by the Minister of Social Welfare to present and document the entire situation, but I can't get to him either. I am not asking to change the law, but only to act according to it," said Vasvija.
It doesn't hurt her, she claims, that her rights were not realized, but that her grandson was denied a lot of things.
"We have no income and the girl is suffering because of that. If they don't solve our problem, they will force us to hand it over to the Center for Social Work," said Vasvija.
Incomplete documentation
Director of the Center for Social Work, Mahmut Kalač, said that Košuta did not claim the right to foster care due to incomplete documentation.
"Our workers went to her house and found that she owns property. For some reason, the real estate office cannot provide us with a document stating that Košute has a two-story house. While visiting them in that family, we found the girl's stepmother, who can take care of her," said Kalač.
He announced that a lawsuit for insult and defamation will be filed against Vasvija Košut "because of the untruths she told about the lawyer of the Center for Social Work".
Zineta Sutović confirmed in a telephone conversation with "Vijesta" that the settlement of Kosut's request, which was submitted in September, is ongoing.
She also confirmed that the Center for Social Work team rejected that request, but that after an appeal, such a decision was canceled in January, in order to proceed with the determination of Košut's property status.
"The necessary documentation was brought only the day before yesterday, so we will decide on the case in the following days. We will make a decision in accordance with the law," said Sutović.
Sutović rejected Košuta's claims that she had ever asked them for anything in return.
"I never received chocolate, not asking for Styrofoam. These are heinous lies for which I will file a criminal complaint against Košuta," said Sutović.
She has announced a lawsuit against "Vijesti" if her name and surname are published.
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