CCE: The judicial epilogue of Bratić's mandate reached the level of almost half a million euros paid from the Budget

As of April 2025, the judicial epilogue of the mandate of the former Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Vesna Bratić, in the field of education alone, reached the sum of almost half a million euros paid directly from the Budget of Montenegro, the Center for Civic Education (CCE) announced today.

"Of the approximately 140 dismissed directors of educational institutions who initiated disputes, 139 have received final judgments in administrative proceedings, and 38, so far, in proceedings for compensation for material damage," the CCE statement states, which was also published on the social network Iks.

The non-governmental organization (NGO) added that 392.312,33 euros were paid on this basis, including 119.325,74 euros in 2023, 222.043,57 euros in 2024, and 50.943,02 euros by April 2025.

"An additional 106.793,92 euros were paid to the illegally dismissed members of the Ethics Committee. A total of 499.106,25 euros were paid from the state treasury," said the CCE.

The NGO said that in 2021, on the eve of and when the amendments to the General Law on Education were passed, they warned that dismissals could not be approached in a "leveling-up" manner, and that political-ideological revanchism would have serious financial and systemic consequences.

"In December 2022, CCE filed a criminal complaint with the Special State Prosecutor's Office (SDT) against the former leadership of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports who participated in an organized manner in the illegal dismissal of directors of educational institutions in 2021," CCE said.

They stated that according to the current Minister of Education, Science and Innovation, Anđela Jakšić-Stojanović, the SDT only recently requested and received documentation from the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (MESI).

"How much more time does it take for the SDT, in accordance with its jurisdiction, to initiate proceedings due to illegalities that have cost the state hundreds of thousands of euros? And how many similar cases could have been prevented if the SDT's reaction had been timely?" said the CCE.