Nikšić General Hospital has contracted a media promotion in the field of tourism with an organization from Germany for a period of six years in the second half of 2024, in order to advertise itself in European Union countries.
This is an organization that, according to media reports from the region, has been conducting dubious promotional campaigns.
"Vijesti" has learned that this organization has announced a lawsuit against the Nikšić hospital for non-payment of the 1.190 euro installment for tourism promotion in European Union countries before the competent court in Munich, and that the new management, upon learning about this legal matter, notified the police and filed a report against the former director. Dušanke Milatović Perović for abuse of official position.
Milatović Perović told the editorial office yesterday that during her term of office, a letter was received offering advertising for companies and institutions, and that she had her assistants read it, who told her that the promotion was free. She explained that she later heard from police inspectors that the fine print stated that advertising would be paid for after six months.
Milatović Perović claims that she did not sign the document electronically, nor did she meet with representatives of the disputed company.
"Later, an inspector called me and told me that it was a fraud. I was not the director when it was announced that it was a fraud, and all three health institutions from Nikšić and most health and other institutions in Montenegro signed it," claims the former director.
Hospital: There was no need for advertising
The Nikšić hospital confirmed to "Vijesti" that they received several warnings last year and this year and explained that withdrawing from legal work could cost 14.280 euros.
"During the mandate of the hospital director Dušanka Milatović Perović, on 23. 10. 2024, the European Tourism Organization form was filled out and signed - an order form for booking media space, as an organization that promotes tourism. In addition to the fact that the Hospital did not need media promotion in the member states of the European Union for the purpose of promoting tourism, by signing that form, the hospital, as a user of services, committed itself to the conditions that that organization published on its website, which also implied the obligation to pay compensation to that tourism organization, and in addition, that tourism organization was given the right to download the necessary material from the official website of the institution," they replied to "Vijesti".
They claim that the tourist organization, based on a signed form, issued an invoice to the hospital in May of last year for a six-month period, in the amount of 1.190 euros, with a payment deadline of five days.
They explained that in August of the same year, the tourist organization informed the hospital that legal representatives had been hired to collect the outstanding claim, as well as to initiate proceedings before the competent court in Munich.
"Under the terms of the concluded legal transaction, withdrawing the termination of that business relationship, according to the imposed conditions, would create an obligation for the hospital to pay all monthly, or semi-annual membership fees, for a period of six years, the duration of the advertising, which would imply an obligation to pay the tourist organization the amount of 14.280 euros in the event of termination," explained the Nikšić hospital.
From the new administration, led by Zoran Mrkić, they responded that the hospital had no need or justified reason to promote itself in the field of tourism, for a fee, in the member states of the European Union, so, they believe, it is obvious that such a harmful legal deal was concluded for completely different reasons and motives.
Allegedly defrauded over 300 companies in BiH
Media in the region reported last year and early this year that hundreds of companies and institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina found themselves under pressure to pay money to the German company ETO GmbH, after they signed documents, believing they were participating in a free promotional project, whose real financial consequences only became clear later.
It is estimated that the potential liability per organization is around 14.280 euros, and that the total exposure of business entities could exceed as much as 4,2 million euros for over 300 companies, institutions and organizations from across BiH.
The Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Germany has obtained information according to which ETO is registered with the municipal court in Munich, with a registered prominent address in that city and a founding capital of 25.000 euros, with one owner and a director from Zagreb.
Ambassador Damir Arnaut asked the BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs to protect domestic entities and investigate allegations of a possible major fraud in December last year.
The media reported that the BiH Insurance Agency filed criminal charges with the prosecutor's office in early 2026 on suspicion of fraud by that state institution.
The Chamber of Commerce of Republika Srpska also warned of a suspicious promotional campaign in June last year and pointed out that the organization was offering a free promotional period, without clearly stating that it lasted six months, after which the order form automatically turned into a binding contract for six years.
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