The Center for Social Work in the capital learned about the five minors from Germany only after an incident occurred between them and employees of a private shelter, which is contrary to the rules for providing this type of service, for which the NGO "Center for the Protection of Children and Youth" from Cetinje received a license at the end of the year.
This stems from the regulations governing the establishment and provision of accommodation services in a shelter, or shelter, but also from the response of the local Center for Social Work.
The minor German citizens arrived in Montenegro in April, ten days apart, according to data from the Cetinje Student Home, with which the shelter had a contract for the preparation and delivery of meals.
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On April 13, three German minors arrived in Cetinje, and on April XNUMX, two more.
The Center for Social Work in the capital previously told "Vijesti" that they did not know that children from Germany were on their territory, and they confirmed this in a written and oral response.
"The provider of accommodation services in a shelter-reception center ensures the reception of users 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The service provider... immediately informs the Center if the reception of users is carried out without a decision from the Center," states Article 14 of the Rulebook on detailed conditions for the provision and use of norms and minimum standards of accommodation services in a shelter-reception center.
The same article also states that the service provider is obliged to immediately notify the Center, the body or service for combating human trafficking and the administrative body responsible for police affairs (security center), if the user is a victim of human trafficking or is at risk of becoming a victim.
Five minor German citizens, as "Vijesti" previously reported, were placed in the shelter of the Non-Governmental Association (NGO) "Center for the Protection of Children and Youth" from Cetinje under a social program, for the purpose of resocialization.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) of Montenegro and the Police Directorate (UP), since the first information was published two weeks ago, when an incident occurred between users and employees at the shelter, have not responded to whether, apart from when the incident occurred, the stay of minor German citizens was previously reported to them and on what grounds.
The Social Welfare Center in the capital stated in a written response to the editorial office a few days ago that the children were registered with them "upon receipt of the application".
CSR Director Dejan Milosevic He clarified on Thursday last week that this refers to the reporting of the incident, and confirmed that the administration of the shelter did not report the minors from Germany to them when the children arrived in Montenegro, namely in Cetinje.
"Upon receipt of the report, the Social Work Center took all measures and actions within its jurisdiction and reacted immediately to ensure adequate care for minors. Every activity of the guardianship authority that specifically relates to the protection of minors, and which requires multi-sectoral involvement of all relevant institutions, is implemented in such a way that the competent social work center reacts to the report, which is what happened in this specific case," they stated in a written response to the editorial office.
"Vijesti" announced in mid-May that among the employees of the "Center for the Protection of Children and Youth" from Cetinje - educators and translators Damir Avdijaj, and founder and executive director of NU Nikola Perović, and the users of the shelter run by that NU, an incident occurred, which was also reported to the Cetinje police.
Two children, under the age of 14, who are not criminally responsible under the law, were immediately referred to the Center for Children and Youth "Ljubović" in Podgorica. "Ljubović" is a non-institutional social and child protection institution, which primarily provides accommodation services to minors with behavioral problems and in conflict with the law.
Criminal charges have been filed against three minor German citizens for violent behavior. The three were also sent to the “Ljubović” detention center in Podgorica, based on a decision by the Basic Court in Cetinje. An appeal has been filed against that decision by the court in the capital.
According to unofficial information, minors from Germany arrived in Montenegro through the German organization "Spurwechsel", with which the NGO "Center for the Protection of Children and Youth" in Cetinje cooperates.
The editorial team previously sent questions about this cooperation to the "Spurwechsel" email address, but they did not provide answers.
According to their website, “Spurwechsel” is also implementing projects like the one in Cetinje in Croatia and Bosnia. In Bosnia, specifically, they are collaborating with a private company, which ended last year with a profit of around 72 thousand euros. They ended 2023 with a profit of over 146 thousand euros.
According to data from the register of non-governmental organizations, the NGO “Center for the Protection of Children and Youth” from Cetinje was registered in November 2023. The founders are Nikola Perović, who is also the director of the NGO, his sister Nikoleta Perović, To Milica KrivokapicKrivokapić is also employed at the Social Welfare Center in the Royal Capital.
She previously told "Vijesti" that as an employee of the Public Institution Center for Social Work for the Royal Capital of Cetinje, she "requested exemption from specific cases in a timely manner."
"The chief inspector who conducted the inspection on 14 was also informed about this. During the same inspection, it was indisputably determined that neither I, as an employee, nor the institution in which I work, committed any irregularities, nor did I carry out activities that would potentially cause a conflict of my roles."
The "Center for Child and Youth Protection", based on a decision from the Department of Social Protection, has a license to perform social and child protection activities, for the service of accommodation in a shelter for children and youth with behavioral problems, for six beneficiaries.
The Department of Social Protection granted them a license on November 25, 11, and it is valid until November 2024, 25.
From the Ministry of Social Welfare, Family Care and Demography, which is led by Damir Gutic, previously stated that the professional workers who are engaged to provide services at the "Centar" Primary School in Cetinje have a work license to perform basic professional tasks.
In their response to "Vijesti" on May 13, they also said that they would conduct an inspection and expert supervision of the "Center for the Protection of Children and Youth" regarding this case. By the time the article was published, they had not responded to whether the supervision had been completed or what the outcome of the supervision was.
Nikola Perović, in addition to the NGO “Center for the Protection of Children and Youth”, also founded the non-governmental association “Source of Health”. Both associations are registered at the address Ivan Beygova Street - the shelter is at number 35, and “Source of Life” at number 33. The address of “Source of Life” is the same as the “Aleksandra” Apartments, which are registered at Neđeljko Perović, Nikola's father. The incident between the minor German citizens and the employees of the NU “Centar” shelter took place right in front of these apartments. According to the Central Tourist Register, the apartments are registered as “apartments”. The shelter is located not far from the elementary school in Cetinje.
As previously reported, the German Embassy in Podgorica has also been informed of this case.
Three meals were provided from the hostels of pupils and students
According to the Regulation on the Establishment of Shelters, the service provider is obliged to provide three meals a day and two snacks if the beneficiaries are children.
The NGO “Center for the Protection of Children and Youth” provided three meals for beneficiaries, and they received the meals from the student dormitory in the capital.
"The Public Institution of Students' Home established cooperation with the NGO 'Center for the Protection of Children and Youth', by concluding a legal act on 1 April 4, and whose implementation began on 2025 April 3. The established cooperation lasted a month and ten days, i.e. until 4 May 2025, when it ended," reads the response provided to "Vijesti" by the management of the home in Cetinje.
The cooperation was terminated the day after the incident occurred.
As they added, the cooperation related to the service of meals "preparation, packaging and shipping... for the agreed number of service users, namely for three users from 3. 4. 2025, and from 13. 4. 2025, meals were shipped for two more", the response states, with the clarification that these were three meals - breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The Cetinje student dormitory also said that their services were paid for in accordance with the contract.
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