The capital city has paid more than 110.000 euros to lawyers in four years, despite the fact that the Law on Local Self-Government stipulates that this is done by the competent municipal body, which in the case of Podgorica is the Administration for the Protection of Property and Legal Interests.
From the Capital City, in their responses to "Vijesti" it was specified that they were represented by lawyers from 2021 to 2024. Milija Saranovic, Nikola Martinovic, Slobodan Smolović, Spasoje Raspopovic, Danilo Radulović, Sladjana Kavarić, as well as a law firm (AOD) Durutovic, Vuksanovic, Kraljevic.
Šaranović, as told to “Vijesti” by the city administration, represented the Capital City in labor disputes. Martinović, Smolović, Raspopović, Kavarić and AOD Durutović, Vuksanović, Kraljević “provided services for representing the Capital City”. Lawyer Danilo Radulović, on the other hand, represented the Capital City in executive, civil, criminal and administrative proceedings. He also acted on cases submitted by the Capital City and performed legal consultancy work related to its daily operations.
Article 69 of the Law on Local Self-Government stipulates that the duties of the protector of property and legal interests of the municipality are performed by a body “designated by the municipality in its statute in accordance with the law”.
"In performing the tasks referred to in paragraph four of this article, the competent municipal body has the position of legal representative of the municipality before the courts and other competent state bodies," the Law states.
"Vijesti" requested the Administration for the Protection of Property and Legal Interests of the Capital City, through the application of the Network for the Affirmation of the Non-Governmental Sector (MANS) "Ask Institutions" to provide them with copies of all decisions on the systematization of jobs made in the period from January 2021 to January 2025.
According to the submitted documents, the Administration for the Protection of Property and Legal Interests of the Capital City has a protector and seven deputies. According to the Local Self-Government Law, they are supposed to defend the interests of the city administration. This is also stated on the Capital City's website.
According to the Rules on Internal Organization and Systematization, the Capital City has one protector of property and legal interests. According to the same document, there are seven deputies.
"The Protector performs tasks established by law and other regulations, represents, manages and organizes the work of the Administration. The conditions he must meet to perform his duties are VII1 level of educational qualification, completed Faculty of Law, at least eight years of work experience in the same or similar jobs. Passed the bar exam," the document states. The same conditions are also provided for his deputies.
The Deputy Protectors of Property and Legal Interests perform tasks related to taking measures and investing legal resources to protect property rights and interests of the Capital City.
"They provide legal protection of property and property and other rights of the Capital City, its bodies and services. They represent before courts in civil, non-civil, executive and administrative proceedings and in administrative disputes. They give opinions on draft acts on the disposal of state property. They give opinions regarding the conclusion of contracts and other property-legal issues at the request of bodies or services. They propose the resolution of court disputes and perform other tasks at the order of the Protector," it is written in the Rulebook on Internal Organization and Systematization.
"The Administration for the Protection of Property and Legal Relations of the Capital City carries out administrative tasks related to the legal protection of property, property and other rights of the Capital City, its bodies and services. It represents the city before the courts in civil, non-contentious, executive and administrative proceedings...", the website states.
The Capital City did not answer "Vijesti" in which cases the lawyers represented the city administration. In a telephone conversation, they said that they would have to ask each lawyer individually for that answer.
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