Forged diplomas destroy the foundation of a meritocratic society and undermine trust in institutions, said Snežana Kaluđerović, senior legal advisor at the Center for Civic Education (CCE), stating that only consistent, non-selective and strict judicial practice sends a message that such behavior carries serious consequences.
The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (MESI) previously announced that since 2023, they have filed 89 criminal reports on suspicion of forged educational documents, while the Podgorica Basic State Prosecutor's Office (ODT) told the MINA agency that 70 cases have been opened in that body on this occasion.
Kaluđerović believes that the number of 89 criminal reports indicates the interest and determination of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to confront this problem, but she also pointed out the importance of the epilogue of the reports filed.
"This is a fairly high, but also worrying number, because the assumption is that there are many more such cases," Kaluđerović said in an interview with the MINA agency.
She also pointed out that the problem of dubious and fake diplomas is not new, but has been developing for decades, without adequate attention from the competent institutions and accompanying sanctions.
"Now it is crucial that we get the epilogues of the reports filed and the proceedings, along with a punitive policy that is consistently applied. It is important to create a deterrent effect against bad intentions and to suppress the practice of "acquiring" an educational document that is not based on knowledge," said Kaluđerović.
She said that such action sends a message that the system does not tolerate these abuses, emphasizing that the complaints themselves have no purpose without a verdict and punishment, which are the only things that give real weight to the fight.
The Podgorica ODT said that out of the 70 cases formed, an indictment was filed with the competent court in 19 cases, and that in some cases prison sentences of three to six months were imposed.
"And suspended sentences were also imposed, as well as community service and security measures, including mandatory confiscation of the forged document," the ODT's response states.
Kaluđerović pointed out that it is not clear from this data what the number of reports and proceedings is in relation to other municipalities and the acting state prosecutor's offices in those municipalities.
"This is not a small number of reports of forged educational documents in the mentioned period in one municipality, although it is the largest," said Kaluđerović.
According to her, examples of certain outcomes are encouraging, although the processes are slow.
"Concrete results should be highlighted, especially those that include prison sentences, even for a period of three to six months," said Kaluđerović.
She warned that this also raises the question of the adequacy of the punishment and whether it is lenient in relation to the severity of the consequences that forged documents can have on the system, especially when it comes to activities such as healthcare, education or public administration.
"Only consistent, non-selective and strict judicial practice sends a clear message that such behavior carries serious consequences, and we don't have that yet," said Kaluđerović.
Asked whether the legal mechanisms in Montenegro for sanctioning users of fake diplomas are adequate, Kaluđerović pointed out that the legislative framework in the country recognizes the forgery of documents as a criminal offense, emphasizing that this means that certain mechanisms exist.
"The problem often lies in their implementation - processes are slow, controls are not regular, and sanctions are not convincing enough to stop negative practices. What is needed is a more dedicated and faster implementation of existing laws and the willingness of employers to deal with the control of educational documents during employment, and I am especially thinking of the public sector," said Kaluđerović.
She also pointed out that for a significant number of senior public officials it is unknown how and where they acquired their educational credentials.
"Which automatically raises doubts about their credibility, it is clear that the obstruction of this important work comes from the top, from those who have the power to both initiate processes and block them when they feel threatened," said Kaluđerović.
According to her, progress is visible, especially when it comes to the Ministry of Education and Science, which, as she stated, is showing proactivity regarding fake diplomas.
Responding to a question about recommendations for a more efficient systemic fight, Kaluđerović emphasized that this fight must be coordinated between institutions, including educational institutions, prosecutors' offices, inspectorates, and courts.
"The introduction of a centralized diploma registry that automatically checks documents when hiring in the public sector, as well as increased inspection controls, are some of the basic steps that need to be taken," Kaluđerović pointed out.
When asked whether she believes there is enough will to stop the emergence of fake diplomas, Kaluđerović said that there must be will if the system has collapsed due to dubious diplomas in education, state administration, security, and maritime affairs.
"But it often breaks down due to resistance and obstructions within the system itself," Kaluđerović pointed out.
Asked how realistic the expectation is that the competent authorities will conduct an adequate check of educational documents for those who hold important public positions, Kaluđerović said that there are indications that in the past the employment of persons with dubious qualifications was tolerated, especially when it comes to political or party appointments.
"That is why it is crucial, in order to set an example, that the first checks be carried out regarding the educational credentials of the highest officials, starting with members of the Government and their closest associates, through MPs, and onwards," said Kaluđerović.
As she explained, the verification of diplomas must not be limited to "lower" positions, as this would render the entire effort to regulate this area meaningless.
Kaluđerović reminded that the CCE requested that it be made known where members of the Government and MPs obtained their educational documents, that is, that the names of those educational institutions, cities and countries be published.
"The silence on our initiative speaks volumes," said Kaluđerović.
When asked whether there are systemic obstacles that slow down or render meaningless criminal prosecution for falsifying educational documents, Kaluđerović said that they exist and that they are multiple.
"From administrative problems in collecting evidence to the lack of human and technical capacity in prosecutors' offices," Kaluđerović explained.
According to her, the most important thing is whether there is unquestionable political will or not.
"This lack of political will to initiate proceedings against "protected" individuals reduces the scope of this process, and in a way may even compromise it. All of this together discourages reporting and weakens citizens' trust in the system," Kaluđerović assessed.
The ODT said that the diplomas that there is a reasonable suspicion are fake were mostly issued in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Serbia and Croatia, and that some of the titles on those diplomas include psychologist, graduate economist, forestry engineer, and physical education and sports professor.
Speaking about the challenges posed by the existence of fake diplomas in key systems in the country, Kaluđerović emphasized that the dangers are serious and multifaceted, indicating that there have been several such examples in healthcare.
"We all know that incompetence in this area can directly endanger the lives of citizens. In education, incompetent staff shape future generations, we have had some plea agreements there, but more importantly – we are already feeling it in the lowering of the quality of the education system, as well as the collapsing atmosphere in schools, where many educators lack authority," explained Kaluđerović.
As she added, incompetent people in the administration make decisions of public importance, or there are those with lower qualifications or dubious diplomas who are superior to experts.
"Falsified diplomas destroy the foundation of a meritocratic society and lead to a collapse of trust in institutions, and all in all, they are starting to weigh heavily on the entire society," said Kaluđerović.
Kaluđerović said that, according to the information available to them, forged diplomas were most often discovered in the education, health, local government, police and security sectors.
"This coincides with what the ODT states, and shows that these dilemmas were "acquired" in the region (BiH, Serbia and Croatia) and that the sectors that should guarantee quality and safety for citizens are the most exposed," said Kaluđerović.
This, according to her, further emphasizes the urgency of the problem and the need for promptness of the commissions formed by sectors to resolve the issue and punish those prone to fraud and abuse.
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