Interpersonal relations in the Public Service are disrupted, and an atmosphere of fear reigns among employees of Radio and Television of Montenegro (RTCG). Any reaction, drawing attention to irregularities, and differing opinions result in a change of job.
This was said by Public Service Broadcasting journalist Sabrija Vulić during the panel "How to strengthen the independence of RTCG?"
"We have a situation where the Labor Law in the Public Service is not being respected. We have the fact that employment conditions are being lowered when it comes to years of experience. It is an entire sophisticated process, which frees up the opportunity to bring in suitable people without experience. These people are rewarded, in one way or another - with a variable part or apartments...", Vulić pointed out.
The panel on strengthening the independence of the Public Service Broadcaster is the second one organized by the Center for Civic Education (CCE) today, in Podgorica.
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Vulić also revealed that RTCG won an award for documentary programming, adding that "the problem is that the author of that work was removed from her position as editor because she is not obedient."
"Two colleagues who were in the negotiating team on behalf of the Employees' Union - Snežana Radusinović and Ranka Perović - also received job changes. They were transferred to positions on the RTCG portal, because it is somewhere in the 'punitive' department. I also find myself there as a novice journalist. In the four years of the rule of the illegal director (Boris Raonić), this is the fourth job I have been to. There are many such examples in our house. We know the situation with the RTCG Ombudsman, as well as what happened around it. Any form of free opinion in this situation we find ourselves in is severely punished," said Vulić.
He also said that former employees, who had previously been fired, had filed lawsuits and "obtained first-instance verdicts."
Vulić reminded that until recently there was only one "trade union organization".
"That union has lost its representativeness. It still works. It still advertises regularly, and most importantly, it supports the current union," Vulić said.
He also said that he had an invitation "from the editor not to participate in this panel," which he declined.
Member of the RTCG Council Marijana Camović Velicković claims that "at least 16 Montenegrin municipalities have a smaller budget than what RTCG receives from the state."
"This is a huge amount of money that no one controls. Although the Public Service Council has not met since September 23, the financial and program-production plan for 2026 must be adopted by the end of the year. We have three members who were convicted in the first instance and will make decisions. In September, Vladimir Drekalović voted for himself... This is an agony that has no end. Employees, citizens are suffering, and perhaps the program is suffering the most," said Camović Velicković.
She said that last week was a week of celebration at the Public Service Broadcasting Company, even though it was known that the collective agreement had already been rejected.
"The Ministry of Finance has already refused to give its consent to the Collective Agreement. They have been silent for 20 days about the existence of this document. A lawyer in a public service cannot have a salary that is 30 percent higher than that of someone in another institution. This could not be proven to them in the negotiation process. This is something that should have been announced last night, but was actually kept quiet," said Camović Velicković.
She recalled that, in four years, the editorial staff at RTCG has changed several times.
Camović-Veličković said that we cannot know how much the Public Service is actually trusted based on certain surveys.
"The public service, with what it has, could and should do everything. Televisions with less than 100 employees manage to produce programming that citizens trust more. We at the RTCG Council don't talk about it at all. According to their story, the portal is progressing. But when you ask for a figure, we don't get that data. We only get a permanent amount that is later promoted on social networks," said Camović Veličković.
Olivera Nikolić, executive director of the Media Institute of Montenegro, said that she supports the Public Service Employees Union, adding that "we have an absolute lack of responsibility on the scene."
"They don't even show responsibility towards journalistic integrity, the profession. I admire what the Union has been doing in recent months. They are patiently and elementarily fighting for their rights. I'm sorry that their voice is no longer there... We see that only the 101st position on the payroll at RTCG is a journalist," said Nikolić.
She stressed that she was sorry that there was no solidarity from other media outlets and that "no more is being written about this problem."
She said that the Public Service Broadcasting contributes to social division, and that "there is a revisionism of the past on stage and in action."
She also said that the doors to critics at the Public Service Broadcasting Service are "closed".
"They report on themselves very selectively. I haven't seen any attempts to open a debate about the criticism. The public service should be a service for all of us. I really don't see the public service as my own. I see segments like the documentary program. There is great work there. The BBC would envy us and be proud of that. They put the editors of those shows on other time slots as punishment," said Nikolić.
RTCG Council member Janko Ljumović said that the key problem regarding reporting is the lack of implementation of the Environmental Protection and Social Responsibility and Governance Strategy.
"What kind of media is this that allows brutal treatment of its employees? Television and radio are institutions that do not rest on a mechanical and formal product. They rest on people, their skills, talents, needs. They rest on television personalities and stars...", he assessed.
Ljumović said that an environment is being created that results in an absence of dialogue and discussion.
Ljumović said that strengthening the Public Service Broadcasting Service is in the "hands of politicians in the Parliament of Montenegro".
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