The Ministry of Culture and Media (MKM) currently employs 48 people for an indefinite period, while the Regulation on Internal Organization and Systematization, which the Government adopted on February 20 of this year, stipulates that the work in that department, in addition to the minister and two state secretaries, is performed by 90 employees, the MKM told "Vijesti".
On the other hand, a large number of persons engaged under a contract for service often work continuously in the Ministry for a year. This is evidenced by the contracts for service, provision of consulting services and contracts for additional work concluded for the first year of the Minister's mandate. Tamara Vujović, which "Vijesti" had access to through free access to information with the help of the MANS application "Ask institutions".
From November 1, 2023 to November 1, 2024, i.e. during the first year of work of the 44th Government of Montenegro, whose president is Milojko Spajic, and the Minister of Culture and Media Tamara Vujović, based on the submitted documentation, a total of 109 contracts were signed, 70 for work, 15 for additional work and 23 for the provision of consulting services, as well as nine annexes to the contract relating to salary increases, extension of the deadline for performing work obligations or extension of the work contract.
Based on the analyzed documentation, some of the contracts do not clearly define their value, i.e. whether it is a monthly fee or the entire fee for the engagement. The total value of the service contracts for the analyzed period, based on the submitted data, amounted to slightly less than 150.000 euros gross.
Part-time for a year
An analysis of the submitted data shows that most “freelancers” are hired under a contract for a specific service multiple times, with several of them working for a full year, and a few for around 9-10 months. Given that “Vijesti” had access to the documentation for a limited period, it is not known whether some of them were previously hired under a contract for a specific service, or whether they continued to do so later.
They worked continuously for nine to 12 months during that period, under a temporary employment contract. Andrea Popovic, Milivoje Kovačević, Dubravka Joksimović, Teodora Škero, Natasa Adzic, Biljana Brajović Pajković, Jelena Radović, Jelena Petrović...
Based on the documentation received by "Vijesti", health technician Andrea Popović signed a service contract for the period from November 15 to December 31, 2023, and then, by signing several consecutive service contracts, continued to work until September 30, 2024, where she still works.
When asked by "Vijesti" about the engagement of a health technician at the Ministry of Culture and Media, and the criteria that guided them in that process, they stated that "the engagement was based on clear criteria of professional integrity, work ability and achieved results."
"The hiring process was carried out in full accordance with applicable legal regulations, as an obligatory relationship between the client and the contractor. In the Ministry of Culture and Media, employment is carried out in accordance with the Law on Civil Servants and State Employees ('Official Gazette of Montenegro', No. 2/18, 34/19 and 8/21), and in that case, general labor regulations do not apply, i.e., employment contracts are not concluded, and therefore this body could not conclude such a legal transaction," the MKM stated in its response.
The Department of Culture and Media is headed by Vujović, who graduated from the Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade, where she specialized in physical medicine, while health technician Popović performs "office tasks", namely: collecting data, information and compiling reports on implemented projects in cultural institutions. There is also cooperation, coordination and provision of technical support during the implementation of further activities of cultural institutions, as well as other tasks she receives as an order.
"According to the work reports, she was also engaged to perform the following tasks: providing support in communication with the media and implementing promotional activities that contribute to the affirmation of the work of the Ministry and the promotion of cultural content; organizing and coordinating events, conferences and other activities important for presenting the work of the Ministry; preparing and implementing promotional strategies for projects in the field of culture and media," MKM writes.
They emphasize that they strive to provide equal chances and opportunities for everyone.
"MKM remains consistent with the principles of professionalism, transparency and equal opportunities for all. A modern approach to human resources management implies providing opportunities for young people to contribute to the achievement of the strategic goals of the Ministry through work and professional development. Engaging young people in responsible positions, including women, is a step towards building a modern, efficient and open public administration system. By investing in young people who achieve measurable results through work and additional education, it contributes to the long-term strengthening of the capacities of the state administration," they stated in their response to "Vijesti".
Croats worked on the Montenegrin Law on Culture
For the engagement of a consulting firm from Croatia in the drafting of the Law on Culture, the Ministry of Culture and Media (MKM) of Montenegro allocated 5.500 euros in 2024. This is also the largest value of all individual contracts for work, provision of consulting services and additional work concluded by the MKM during the aforementioned period.
Five and a half thousand euros, excluding VAT, have been allocated to the Institute for Development and International Relations from Zagreb, represented by its director, Dr. Sc. Sanja Tisma. The contract was signed in Zagreb on 16 May 2024, and the deadline for execution was 40 days. The subject of the contract is stated as “the provision of consulting services in relation to professional/expert assistance in the development of an analysis of the cultural policy framework of Montenegro with a focus on the Law on Culture, through the analysis of each individual provision, with the identification of potential problems and their systemic implications”. All this is defined in accordance with the offer number 13-082/24-1403/1 of 29 April 2024.
The obligations of the Croatian Institute were: providing assistance related to the implementation of the analysis of the cultural policy of Montenegro, through experience, knowledge and skills related to the field of culture. MKM also stated in the contract that it expected the content of the analysis of the cultural policy framework, the legal act and its in-depth analysis, identification of potential problems and their impact on the system, submission of the final text of the analysis, and the like.
Animations for children of employees
The minister hired translators twice in the first year, during an official visit to France, for which the contract value was 200 euros, while 150 euros were allocated for simultaneous translation during Vujović's meeting with the director of the Venice Biennale of Contemporary Art.
The ministry also provided 200 euros for the entertainment of children of employees on December 29, 2023, "on the occasion of the upcoming New Year holidays."
One of the numerous contracts refers “only” to cabinet work, and the hired person is expected to “perform work for the needs of the cabinet from November 15 to December 31,” with a monthly fee of 550 euros net, or 731.87 gross. That employee was no longer hired under a contract for services.
One coffee shop owner gets 500 euros, the other 100 euros
While one woman, hired to work as a coffee cook at the Ministry of Culture and Media in Cetinje, received a monthly fee of 500 euros under a service contract, the other woman's service contract for the same job was only 100 euros.
The cafe cook, whose fee was 500 euros net, or 665,34 gross, for that job, received a monthly allowance from April 22 to October 23, 2024.
The contract for the work of the coffee cook, whose fee is significantly lower (net 100 and gross 111.93 euros), does not indicate that it is a monthly fee. Her engagement lasted nine months, from January 1 to September 30, 2024.
440 euros each for commission members and 100 euros each for memorial experts
A significant difference in fees is also evident in the work of members of the commissions engaged for the evaluation of applications received for the Ministry's competitions and professional consultants who monitored the program for the erection of memorials.
Members of the job commissions each received 440 euros net, or 491.62 in gross, based on only three contracts submitted.
On the other hand, 100 euros is the net fee, and 113.49 gross, of consultants hired for expert assistance in monitoring the program for the erection of memorials. Their duties, as defined in the contracts, are to review proposals for programs for the erection of memorials, monitor the content of submitted programs, review proposals for decisions and monitor the content of decisions on the erection of memorials submitted by municipalities, the Capital City of Podgorica and the Royal Capital of Cetinje.
Sports journalism at a premium
Bachelor of Sports Journalism Milivoje Kovačević has been hired at MKM through four service contracts from December 1, 2023 to November 30, 2024. His duties under the contract relate to the analysis and control of the spending of funds during the implementation of projects from all concluded contracts in the field of culture, as well as the preparation of a report containing a detailed assessment of the situation in relation to the subject of the contract with recommendations for the actions of the contracting authority (MKM), in accordance with the rules of the financial profession.
With the annex to the contract signed on October 12, 2023, the engagement of Teodora Škero, a graduate in journalism, was extended until the end of that year, and then she signed three consecutive contracts, until September 30, 2024.
Dubravka Joksimović's contract for the work of the science journalism specialist has been extended four times this year, from December 1, 2023 to October 31, 2024.
Jelena Radović, with a bachelor's degree in marketing, also signed four service contracts, from November 21, 2023 to September 30 of the following year.
The same number of service contracts is also held by Biljana Brajović Pajković, a graduate conservator and restorer, who is engaged from February 31 to October 2024, XNUMX.
Master of Theology Jelena Petrović is engaged from February 1 to October 31, 2024, through three contracts, on tasks related to the analysis of the state of cultural heritage in the territory of Montenegro.
Economist Nataša Adžić was hired on December 15, 2023, and worked until September 17, 2024.
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