The Prime Minister’s Office has announced that the Law on Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities will not advance to the next stage without further consultations.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Labor, Employment, and Social Dialogue, the Prime Minister’s Office has invited representatives from disability associations to engage in additional discussions about the proposed amendments to the Law on Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities.

“To identify the most effective solutions, we will hold further consultations next week. Minister Naida Nišić led the initial discussions with disability advocates today. We invite representatives from associations advocating for individuals with disabilities to engage in open dialogue and work towards an agreement that benefits all parties,” stated the Prime Minister’s Office.

A protest was held outside the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Dialogue under the slogan “We are reality, you are a myth.”

Disability representatives agreed to a dialogue with the Prime Minister’s office, resulting in the cancellation of the protest.

They indicated that the continuation of protests depends on the responses from the Prime Minister’s office and the Government.

Minister Naida Nišić held discussions today with the leaders of the “We are reality, you are a myth” protest.

The meeting resumed after Nišić requested a short break for consultations.

Following the first part of the meeting, Goran Macanović, Executive Director of the Association of the Blind, remarked that negotiations were moving positively, and that they were awaiting a final decision within 30 minutes to an hour.

If their cumulative demands are not addressed, Macanović stated they would gather at Roman Square, including a potential overnight stay.

A protest is currently taking place in front of the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare’s building, organized by the Association of Disabled Youth of Montenegro (UMHCG), under the slogan “We are reality, you are a myth.”

The organizers plan to request an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Milojko Spajić if Nišić does not meet with them by the designated time.

The demonstrators are opposing the Draft Law on Amendments to the Law on Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities, which they argue was drafted by Nišić’s department.

Macanović indicated they had received reports that the working group responsible for drafting the law had not published necessary analyses, stating, “They did not have them.”

He criticized Nišić and her department for basing the law “on untruths.”

“They did not utilize the analyses from the previous working group because those would not support the creation of this flawed legislation. The ministry is relying on false data and analyses,” Macanović asserted.

He urged Nišić to meet their demands and insisted that he would not leave “until we achieve our goals.”

“Nišić is the first minister to bring people with disabilities to the streets to protest; she must not be the first to compel them to spend the night in protest,” Macanović stated.

Milijana Ćirković, President of the Federation of Paraplegic Associations of Montenegro, accused the government of stealing over 10 million euros from individuals with disabilities.

“Instead of discussing improvements with the ministry today, we find ourselves protesting. We are facing an unprecedented negative media campaign against individuals with disabilities,” Ćirković remarked.

Dragana Božović asserted that they do not wish to be seen merely as “statistical data.”

“We send a strong message to Naida Nišić to withdraw the draft, as persons with disabilities will not relent. We will remain here as long as it takes until this draft is rescinded. Additionally, we demand the establishment of a new working group with at least three members who are persons with disabilities,” Božović stated.

Radenko Lacmanović, a member of the Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, said the government desired to “change the world, but upon taking office, they altered themselves.”

“They gravely miscalculated and encountered an unwavering group. Their thinking and actions do not justify the name of their ministry, as this law does not promote progress but instead acts repressively,” Lacmanović remarked.

He also pointed out the absence of individuals with disabilities in leadership roles.

“I assert that among the persons with disabilities, whom you do not empower, we could significantly aid the country in its European progression. Nišić will be the first minister that persons with disabilities will demand to resign if she fails to meet the protest’s objectives,” Lacmanović concluded.

The UMHCG had previously announced that, as time progressed since their initial request for the draft’s withdrawal, they had uncovered “new data and details revealing significant deficiencies and a lack of factual basis for the proposed amendments.”

“As a response to the protest today, we share one additional piece of information that could have been easily obtained through basic analyses and comparative data, regarding the inconsistent records of employed persons with disabilities at the end of 2024, and the number of employers employing them,” the association stated.

The NGO pointed out that the explanation for the Draft Law indicates: “As of December 31, 2024, there are 2,919 persons with disabilities entitled to wage subsidies across 4,550 employers,” while according to the UMHCG, the report on implementing the Action Plan for the 2022-2025 Strategy for the Protection and Equality of Persons with Disabilities against Discrimination and Promoting Equality states: “In the workplace, the number of employers eligible for wage subsidies for persons with disabilities has risen. A total of 4,935 employers are eligible for subsidies for persons with disabilities.”

“Thus, it appears that the relevant authorities do not maintain consistent data on the employment of persons with disabilities; therefore, how can we expect that their Draft Law is founded on prior analyses?” the statement continued.

The Ministry of Labor, Employment, and Social Dialogue of Montenegro (UMHCG) has announced that it “consistently disregards the requests of 10 organizations representing persons with disabilities and the umbrella sports association for individuals with disabilities,” along with support from numerous other entities, thereby perpetuating its failure to properly engage in consultations with persons with disabilities and their representative organizations regarding decision-making processes.

“(The Ministry) continues to communicate predominantly via social media, often in formats inaccessible to many individuals with disabilities. Hence, today the Ministry announces added consultations with interested parties regarding the Draft Law,” the Ministry of Human Rights of Montenegro stated.

The UMHCG emphasized this as an opportunity to reassert their demands to the Ministry and also announced their consultations, inviting “both the Minister and her team, or those who created this Draft Law” to share their thoughts on the text of the Draft Law by noon today, and to “expedite a presentation to follow during the protest.”

“We once again urge the media to cover the protest rally and support our requests and resistance against this type of decision-making as manifested by the Ministry,” the UMHCG urged.

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