Kadić files appeal against dismissal decision and claims: Illegal and new appointment

Director of the Health Insurance Fund Vuk Kadic The day before yesterday, he filed an appeal against the suspension decision to the Commission for Appeals against Decisions on Dismissal from Work.

In a statement to "Vijesti", Kadić said that there are numerous reasons why the decision is illegal, but also that the acting head was appointed contrary to regulations.

"First of all, the Board of Directors is not competent to impose a suspension, but only to appoint and dismiss the director. Only the Director of the Fund has the competence to impose a suspension measure in accordance with the cited law. Also, on top of all this, the Acting Director was appointed illegally, given that the Law on Civil Servants does not provide for the possibility of appointing an acting director in a specific case, so this will also be the subject of an investigation by the competent prosecutor's office," Kadić pointed out.

The Law on Civil Servants and State Employees, in Article 61, stipulates that an acting director may be appointed in the event of termination of the mandate of the head of an administrative body and in the event of temporary incapacity for work, parental or maternity leave of that person. The law does not stipulate the appointment of an acting director in the event of suspension of the head of an administrative body.

Kadić claims that the Fund's Board of Directors also violated substantive regulations because the procedure prescribed by the Law on Administrative Procedure was not followed.

"Ultimately, the conditions for suspension were not met, considering that they did not prove in any way that my presence would harm the interests of the state body. In any case, I will soon prove that their presence harms the Health Insurance Fund and I hope that they will bear the consequences for all the damage caused by their illegal actions," said Kadić.

He announced that he would soon file a criminal complaint and that, given the complexity of the acts committed by the Board of Directors, we can already speak of abuse of official position over an extended period.

"..I want everything to be thoroughly prepared, so that all the necessary evidence can be gathered and the prosecution's job can be made easier. Of course, the public will be informed of this fact in a timely manner," announced Kadić.

The Administrative Court issued a ruling in April that Kadić was unlawfully removed from the position of director in November last year and annulled the decision to dismiss him. The Fund's Board of Directors acted on the ruling at its meeting in early May, only to suspend him at the end of the month until the disciplinary proceedings are completed.

While the Board of Directors claims that Kadić violated regulations by signing contracts with clinics in Serbia without the consent of the Ministry of Health, he says that his dismissal and suspension are politically motivated. He claims that these are contracts, some of which have existed for decades and which ensure the continuity of treatment for our citizens, and that the same practice continued after his dismissal in November 2025.

The Board of Directors states in the decision on suspension, which "Vijesti" had access to, that on May 5, at the same session when they acted upon the court's verdict, they initiated disciplinary proceedings against Kadić for a serious breach of work obligations, namely concluding contracts with foreign health institutions without previously obtaining consent and/or approval from the competent authorities and implementing procedures prescribed by the applicable regulations and internal acts of the Fund.

The decision states that the Board of Directors, as the management body that decides on the status issues of the director, including his appointment and dismissal, is also competent to decide on other rights and obligations arising from the performance of his function, including temporary restrictions on the performance of duties in accordance with the law.

They referred to Article 111 of the Law on Civil Servants and State Employees, which stipulates that a “civil servant or state employee” against whom criminal proceedings or disciplinary proceedings have been initiated for a serious breach of work obligations may, until the conclusion of those proceedings, be restricted from performing his duties by prohibiting him from performing work in a state body.

The Board of Directors claims that "the legal position that the aforementioned provisions can also be applied to the Fund's director is confirmed by the opinion of the Ministry of Public Administration."