The Labor Inspectorate will control whether the executive director of the state-owned company "Montenegrin Electricity Market Operator" (COTEE) Mersudin Gredić (Bosniak Party) appointed outside the regulations.
"On March 28, the Labor Inspectorate received an initiative requesting an inspection at the 'Montenegrin Electricity Market Operator' doo Podgorica, regarding the existence of possible irregularities in the public announcement of a vacant position during the selection of a director. The initiative was submitted to the acting inspector, who will conduct an inspection within the legal deadline, and in the event of irregularities being identified, take legally prescribed measures and actions," the Labor Inspectorate said.
This is not the first time that the Labor Inspectorate has controlled the way in which top executives of companies in the energy sector are appointed. Two years ago, they determined that certain directors were appointed in violation of the Labor Law and without announcing a competition.
Appointed at the suggestion of party colleagues
According to available documents, Gredić was appointed to this position by the Government in early October 2023. Dritan Abazović, as stated, at the proposal of the then Minister of Capital Investments Ervin Ibrahimović and his party boss.
This engagement was confirmed by decision and through an employment contract by the previous president of the Board of Directors of COTEE. Nermin Škretović, also the head of BS.
Gredić told "Vijesti" that, in accordance with the Law on Business Companies, executive directors of companies are appointed by the Assembly of the company, or in this case, the founder - the Government of Montenegro, in the manner determined by the founding act or the company's Statute.
"The decision on the establishment and the Statute of the Company doo COTEE stipulate that the Executive Director is elected and dismissed by the Board of Directors, subject to the prior consent of the founder, i.e. the Government of Montenegro. The Government of Montenegro, by act No. 07-100/23-4501/3 of October 3, 2023, gave its consent to appoint Mersudin Gredić, a lawyer, as the Executive Director of COTEE. Pursuant to the previously given consent of the Government of Montenegro, the Board of Directors of COTEE made a decision on October 9, 2023 to appoint Mersudin Gredić as the Executive Director for a term of office of four years. The appointment was made in a procedure that was identical to all appointments of previous Executive Directors since the establishment of this company," Gredić replied.
The Law on Business Companies and the Statute of COTEE stipulate that the Executive Director is elected and dismissed by the Board of Directors with the prior consent of the founders. The Executive Director is elected for a period of four years with the possibility of re-election.
The case of Lekić and Čađenović
The Labor Inspectorate's previous position, however, was that such a method of selection was contrary to the Labor Law.
inspector Veljko Vlaović In mid-2023, it inspected the state-owned companies Rudnik uglja Pljevlja (RUP) and Montenegrin Electric Distribution System (CEDIS), finding that the then directors Milan Lekic i Vladimir Čađenović appointed in a similar manner as Gredić, but that this is contrary to labor regulations, because their positions were not advertised through a public competition.
"Article 24, paragraph 1 of the Labor Law stipulates that the employer is obliged to report a vacant position to the Employment Agency, which, according to paragraph 2, publicly advertises it in accordance with a special law... Paragraph 3 states that 'as an exception to paragraph 2 of this Article, the Agency is obliged to publicly advertise a position in a company, public institution and other public service whose founder or majority owner is the state or municipality in accordance with a special law,'" the decision states.
After that, both companies obtained executive directors through public competitions.
Since the beginning of the mandate of the 44th Government, there have been claims that the heads of all institutions, and especially companies in the energy sector, will be elected based on their professional references, and not the wishes of political parties...
Responding to the question of whether Gredić was selected in the competition, the President of the Board of Directors of COTEE Maksim Vucinic He told "Vijesti" that the new convocation of that governing body was constituted in mid-February.
"As the Chairman of the Board of Directors, I did not seek control over the appointment of the Executive Director, assuming my new position with the conviction that the company operates in accordance with the Law, Statute, Rules and business principles. Given the importance of the energy sector to which this company belongs, as well as its very important role, the least that is expected from the state administration is a lawful relationship based on meritocratic principles," Vučinić emphasized.
COTEE is an intermediary in the electricity trade in Montenegro.
Maraš: Professionalism in words, party in action
BIRN Director Vuk Marash He said that the way the first head of COTEE was appointed was "just a continuation of the very bad practice of distributing energy companies in Montenegro according to party quotas, most often to individuals without any previous experience in this field."
BIRN investigated the operations of companies in the energy sector.
"In this specific case, Gredić, a senior official of the Bosniak Party and a graduate lawyer from Kragujevac, with previous experience in the Parliament and the ministries of human and minority rights and internal affairs, obviously did not have any references for the energy sector. However, the company's Board of Directors decided, with which the Government agreed, to appoint Gredić to the position of director of the Montenegrin Electricity Market Operator without public advertising. In this way, just as in the cases of Milan Lekić from the DF and Vladimir Čađenović from the Democrats, the Labor Law was violated, because according to the findings of the labor inspection, these positions must also be advertised," Maraš emphasized.
According to him, although it is obvious that a party-based system is being established in Montenegro, in order to bring seasoned personnel from the ruling parties to high-paying positions, without any experience, who have obviously indebted their own parties, publicly advertising management positions is not only a legal minimum, but also an obligation of the state.
"...So that the system of engagement in the state apparatus does not become completely meaningless. This is especially true considering that since 2020, governments have been full of meritocracy, while their actions show the complete opposite - that they have become the best students of the previous regime, which they themselves called corrupt," concluded Maraš.
Received a housing loan from the Government in 2018
According to the report on assets and income, which he submitted to the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption, Gredić received from 2.506 to 2.695 euros in the position of executive director of COTEE. He owns a 45-square-meter apartment and co-owns a 26-square-meter residential space, as well as a 95-square-meter house. His wife owns a 76-square-meter apartment and half of a 26-square-meter residential space. They have a total of just over 8.000 euros in their current accounts.
Gredić has two housing loans from 2018, one of which, in the amount of 20.000 euros, he received from the Government of Montenegro and is repaying it in installments of 55,56 euros.
A job at COTEE or salary compensation within one year
According to the employment contract that Gredić signed with Škretović on October 9, in the event of dismissal, for any reason or without giving a reason, during the four-year term, COTEE will offer him another job that matches his professional qualifications, knowledge and abilities.
"If the employee, or executive director, does not accept this offer, he has the right
"to compensation for one year's salary, in the amount of salary corresponding to the salary in the month preceding the dismissal. The employee's right under paragraph 3 of this article shall cease if: he/she enters into an employment relationship, is elected, appointed or appointed to another position on the basis of which he/she earns a salary, or if he/she becomes entitled to a pension," states the contract, which "Vijesti" had access to.
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