Ćulafić: Otašević brought in politically, not to make the local public broadcaster a respectable media outlet

A councilor of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) in the Capital City Assembly, Stefan Ćulafić, announced that City TV "is today at the lowest level since its founding."

"The situation in the local public broadcaster RTV Podgorica, founded by the Capital City Assembly, has been well known to opposition councilors for some time now. My colleagues have been constantly warning and pointing out illegal operations, variable payments, party and friendly employment since Mr. (Vladimir) Otašević was appointed acting director. Now, however, not only has the Media Union of Montenegro joined these and similar allegations, but the same and many other irregularities have also been identified by the State Audit Institution," Ćulafić wrote on his Facebook account.

He added that the party warned that Otašević "was designated for that position even before he was appointed."

"What else only confirms that he is there for political reasons, and not for the reason of making the local public broadcaster a respectable media outlet. With all due respect for media freedom, today the city television is at the lowest level since its establishment. The DRI finding shows that Mr. Otašević paid variables to employees only based on the decision that he made as executive director, contrary to the Law on Salaries of Employees in the Public Sector. And I will remind the public that it was on this same basis that the Hollywood arrest of the director of ASK, Ms. (Jelena) Perović, was carried out, which is why she underwent media and public torture almost unprecedented in Montenegro. Where are the investigative bodies today, the supreme state and the chief special prosecutor, to establish the responsibility of Mr. Otašević, as well as Ms. Perović at one time," asked Ćulafić.

He also said that the contract regarding Otašević's salary is being hidden from councilors, the public, and auditors.

"There are numerous irregularities that the entire public has been warning about all this time, but unfortunately the Mayor of the Capital City, Mr. Mujović, as the man with the greatest responsibility, remains silent on such warnings from the union, colleagues from the media, and now the findings of state institutions. It is clear that the mayor is being politically blackmailed, because the position of director of the city television was assigned according to political quotas, and not according to meritocracy, as he promised in the election campaign. The executive director of the city television is outside his political reach and sphere of interest, and therefore it is not surprising that requests for his dismissal will not practically be considered," said Ćulafić.