The management of the Post of Montenegro has terminated the employment of union activist and strike committee president Jugoslav Marković, who advocated for a salary increase in 2023. He was dismissed due to allegations that he failed to pay a pension to a beneficiary and forged a signature on the associated money order while working as a postman in Budva.

In reaction to Marković’s dismissal, employees of the Post Office initiated a petition. His colleagues from Budva protested by not working on the day he was fired. Additionally, Stojan Sjekloć, a member of the Board of Directors, called for the board to review the case to ease tensions and assess whether the dismissal was warranted or an act of retaliation against union activities. Residents of Budva, where Marković served as a postman, are also preparing a petition for his reinstatement.

When asked about the dismissal, the Post’s management stated that the strike at the Post of Montenegro successfully concluded in October 2023, and there is now no active strike committee. They indicated that Marković’s employment was terminated on February 17 following a disciplinary process.

“The disciplinary proceedings were initiated based on a complaint from a pension beneficiary who claimed she had not received a pension payment of 446.62 euros. It was then determined that Marković had entered the beneficiary’s name on the proof of delivery instead of the beneficiary themselves, effectively forging a signature. After the complaint was filed, he reimbursed the recipient from his own funds, documented by a receipt dated December 6,” the Post Office reported.

Management asserted that on November 19 of the previous year, while distributing pensions, Marković signed the name of pension beneficiary IV on the money order for the October pension amounting to 446.62 euros, which breached Article 6 of the Guidelines for Postmen Handling Money Orders. This act constituted a serious violation of his job duties.

“The findings were reinforced by Marković’s own admission of entering the beneficiary’s name on the proof of delivery, and he confessed to employing this method for at least five years while delivering pensions to the deceased husband of the complainant. This ongoing illegal action highlights the abuses undertaken,” the Post Office elaborated.

They noted that the money order serves as a public document confirming proper delivery of funds and such behavior raises concerns about potential criminal activity, prompting them to notify the prosecutor’s office regarding this incident.

The Post Office emphasized that this action is unrelated to the strike and isn’t a precedent, as they have terminated eight employees in connection with money laundering offenses in the past two years.

Marković informed “Vijesti” that he plans to respond to the Post’s management after consulting with the union.

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