The Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (ASK) has determined that the executive director of RTV Podgorica, Vladimir Otašević, as a public official, did not violate the Law on the Prevention of Corruption, because while performing his public function he was not engaged in the production of the series "Traces of Power" on Radio and Television of Montenegro (RTCG), which would subordinate the public interest to the private and thus cause a conflict of interest in the performance of public function.
ASK has determined that Otašević was elected as the director of the local public broadcaster for a full term at the session of the RTV Podgorica Council on February 13, 2024, and that he had previously timely submitted a request for termination of the service contract and informed his then employer that his further engagement on that project was to cease, reports the gradski.me portal.
Media Center Director Goran Đurović previously submitted an initiative to the RTV Podgorica Council to dismiss Otašević, claiming that there was a conflict of interest.
"During the proceedings, it was unequivocally established that Vladimir Otašević terminated the Service Contract with 'Fabrika ideja multimedia' doo on 12/12/2023, before he assumed the public office of Acting Executive Director of the Local Public Broadcaster RTV Podgorica on 13/12/2023, and that his activities and operational tasks on the series 'Trgovina moći' were taken over by another person, while the proceedings did not establish that he was engaged on the series after the termination of the Service Contract and assuming public office," reads the ASK decision of 4 November.
The agency also evaluated copies of the closing credits of the series "Power Trade", from which it was determined that Vladimir Otašević was signed as the author and editor, and that the show was produced in 2024. It determined that this did not affect the resolution of the administrative matter in question, because Otašević's engagement in the project for that series had ceased and his duties had been taken over by another person.
ASK also appreciated the letter from RTCG.
"... is determined from the letter of the General Director registered under number 01-7397 dated 9.9.2025. which states that at the beginning of the project, Vladimir Otašević, as the author and editor, created the synopsis and structure of the show, and that due to new circumstances, his activities and operational tasks were taken over by another person, and that Vladimir Otašević remained signed as the author in accordance with the initial concept and his role in the period from 6.11.2023. to 11.12.2023., for which reason they could not sign another person as the author and editor," the Agency's decision states, as reported by the RTV Podgorica portal.
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