Lunches for NGOs from state coffers: ASK found that the director of the Transfusion Institute subordinated public interests to private interests

Director of the Blood Transfusion Institute of Montenegro, Dr. Marina Sekulić She used the money from that public institution to pay for lunches, daily allowances, and transportation related to the work of the NGO "Association of Transfusionists of Montenegro", of which she was the founder and authorized person, which is why the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (AKC) determined that she subordinated the public interest to the private one.

This is stated in the decision published yesterday on the website of the anti-corruption institution.

ASK determined that Sekulić, as the director of the Institute, gave orders to use the funds of that public institution to pay for expenses related to the activities of a separate legal entity - the NGO "Association of Transfusionists of Montenegro".

The Agency's decision states that Sekulić violated the Law on the Prevention of Corruption "by subordinating the public interest to the private one," because part of the money intended for the work of a public institution was redirected to the expenses of an association in which she had a formal role.

The case relates to activities from 2025. According to the ASK decision, meetings related to the work of the association were held in the Institute's premises, after which catering costs were paid from the Institute's budget.

The Agency determined that two lunches at the “Salaš 23” restaurant in Podgorica were paid for from the Institute's funds - one in the amount of 470,50 euros, after a meeting held on June 7, 2025, and the second in the amount of 335,30 euros, after a meeting held on September 27 of the same year.

ASK also states that Sekulić paid daily allowances to certain employees of the Institute and ordered them to pay transportation costs for participating in a meeting that, according to the Agency, was related to the work of an NGO, and not to the regular affairs of a public institution.

"On September 27, 2025, the appointee also paid daily allowances and issued an order for the payment of transportation costs to certain participants in the meeting who are employees of the Institute," states the ASK decision signed by the director. Kristina Braletić.

Sekulić denied any conflict of interest during the proceedings, claiming that it was a professional, non-profit association established to advance transfusion medicine, professional training, exchange of experiences, and international cooperation.

She also stated that the association is not made up of external members, but rather physicians specializing in transfusion medicine employed at the Institute, and that the activities were not organized for the purpose of gaining private gain, but rather to advance the profession.

According to her, the meetings were dedicated to professional topics, preparation of papers, and cooperation with colleagues from other cities, while lunch was organized for employees and participants who attended the meeting.

The Agency, however, did not accept such an explanation, and the decision states that the fact that the association is professional or non-profit does not change the essence - that the Institute, as a public institution, financed the costs of a separate legal entity.

"The above stems from the fact that Dr. Marina Sekulić, by performing her function as the director of the Blood Transfusion Institute of Montenegro, took actions and gave an order as a responsible person - a public official to pay the costs of managing the legal entity NGO Transfusionists Association of Montenegro, from the Institute's funds, thereby subordinating the public interest to the private one," the decision states.

ASK also determined that the former Minister of Finance Darko Radunović violated the law because he did not report part of his income and real estate in his 2024 income and property report.

According to the ASK decision, Radunović did not declare all his income from membership in the Board of Directors of the Deposit Protection Fund, i.e. he underreported his income by 445,08 euros. He also failed to declare a 31-square-meter vineyard and a 1.024-square-meter field in KO Farmaka, as well as a 14-square-meter garage in Podgorica, which is owned by his wife.

Radunović claimed that these were technical errors and data that he had no intention of hiding, stating that he would report them through an amendment to the report.

ASK, however, assessed that this did not affect a different decision.

"The agency also appreciated the public official's allegations that this was a technical error and data that was not intended to be concealed, but found that it did not influence a different decision," the decision states.

In the part of the proceedings related to the Renault Laguna car and the weapons, the ASK did not establish a violation of the law. The decision states that it accepted the explanation that the vehicle was not in Radunović's possession during the reporting period, while the weapons had previously been handed over to the state.

Note: The first version of the text stated that Darko Radunović was the Minister of Economy. This was an unintentional mistake. We apologize to the readers and to Radunović.