Overtime hours, gifts under scrutiny: ASK and budget inspection inspect the Institute of Public Health

The Agency for the Prevention of Corruption announced an inspection of the actions of the acting director of the Institute of Public Health. Ivan Samardžić and determining whether his actions endangered the public interest, after the Labor Inspectorate forwarded them an initiative accusing that manager of abuse of position, violation of regulations, mobbing...

At the same time, the Institute (IJZ), as the Ministry of Finance responded to "Vijesti", will also be controlled by the budget inspection because their colleagues from the labor inspection also forwarded them the initiative with a part of the audit report.

The labor inspectorate, however, did not respond to questions about whether the supervision of the Public Health Institute was initiated and completed, what measures they took, and what they found.

The initiative, also submitted to "Vijesti", states that the irregularities relate to the misuse of public funds, including receiving gifts and equipment, overtime payments, selective distribution of benefits and making decisions that do not serve the interests of the IJZ or its employees, while the second part of the document refers to the consequences of these decisions for employees, including two cases of alleged mobbing. The IJZ confirmed to "Vijesti" yesterday that the labor inspection had previously conducted supervision of the work of the institution.

"We emphasize that the Institute of Public Health consistently implements all legal procedures and remains committed to preserving a dignified and stable working environment for all employees, all with the aim of preserving the personal and professional integrity of each employee," the response states.

Overtime, gifts, mobbing?

The report accuses the acting director of having recorded a high number of overtime hours, in an amount that is objectively impossible to achieve by being physically present at work, which in one accounting period led to the Ministry of Finance returning the submitted accounting lists precisely because of unfounded and excessive entries.

"After the appointment, the aforementioned practice was not only not stopped, but additionally intensified. The recorded number of overtime hours continuously exceeds the limits of a person's physical and mental endurance, with the hours being entered arbitrarily, without a clear basis, control and logical sequence, and were especially observed in periods when the director was simultaneously absent from work due to business trips. He implemented this procedure by paying 32 hours of overtime through payroll, while paying the rest through a decision he makes," the initiative states.

The initiative states that the Director of the Institute of Public Health has the right to permanent use of an official vehicle with or without a driver, which cannot be transferred to another person. It is claimed, however, that the drivers were ordered to transport the Assistant Director for Medical Affairs, allegedly the wife of a close relative, to Budva and back every day, which violates the Regulation on the conditions and manner of using official vehicles of the Institute of Public Health, which was decided in November last year.

It is alleged that, based on a gift from the operator to which the Public Health Institution is entitled in the amount of 4.500 euros per year, the director used the funds to purchase a telephone in the amount of 1.800 euros, which was not recorded in the institution's fixed assets.

"We would like to point out that this is not a case of negligence, but of a conscious decision by the director, who was aware of the contact persons for the Telekom representative. The director therefore exclusively demanded direct communication, thereby achieving personal benefit, and not for the benefit of the Institute. Additionally, the fact that he gave his private phone to the newly appointed director for medical issues clearly shows that the director deliberately avoided the Institute's records and thus appropriated the phone for personal use... By doing this, the director violated Article 11 of the Institute's Code of Ethics, which violated the principle of transparency and accountability in managing the assets of a public institution," the initiative states.

The initiative claims that the director formed the commission after, as part of disciplinary proceedings, he broke open a drawer in the office of the former assistant director, and then, after breaking open the drawer and closet, invited him to retrieve his personal belongings in the presence of the commission, about which the commission's minutes were drawn up, from which the aforementioned facts clearly emerge and that the computer disappeared, without enabling the retrieval of personal data that was on the former assistant's computer.

It is emphasized that employees suffer daily threats and continuous pressure, which has resulted in dismissals and dismissals, as well as the initiation of two reports of mobbing.

The report was forwarded to the labor inspectorate.

The Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (ASK) told "Vijesti" that they will initiate proceedings and request the necessary documentation, based on which it will be determined whether there is a threat to the public interest, which indicates the existence of corruption.

"ASK received the application on 6.4.2026. year. Upon review of the application, it was determined that the initiative was initially submitted to the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Dialogue, which then forwarded it to the Agency for further jurisdiction. The letter accompanying the application does not contain a record of the inspection supervision carried out, nor do we have information that it was carried out," the response reads. The Ministry of Finance, within which the budget inspection operates, responded that on 7 April they were submitted an initiative from the labor inspection, for further jurisdiction, with an anonymous application and part of the audit report.

"The Budget Inspection has considered the initiative, and in the coming period, in accordance with the priorities and planned inspections in accordance with the Budget Inspection Supervision Plan for 2026, it will undertake activities within its jurisdiction, of which the Labor Inspection has been notified in accordance with the law," the response states.