The legal services of the Capital City seem unable to effectively manage a significant number of processes, or the local self-governing bodies behave in ways that lead to decisions later creating financial obligations covered by the Capital City budget – funded by the citizens of Podgorica. This is frequently a mix of both issues, stated Srdjan Peric, councilor of the Preokret Movement in the Podgorica City Assembly, while discussing the €2,890,565.01 total paid by the Capital City in 2024 for lawsuits and out-of-court settlements.

The largest portion was derived from the city treasury for expropriation lawsuits – €1,351,354.27.

A total of €315,912.62 was disbursed for court executions related to employment and interest.

“From another perspective, the data shows that 473 administrative procedures were initiated last year in labor relations, mainly concerning wage increases for overtime (83), annual leave (108), and variable wage components (111). There are also procedures tied to Sunday work wage increases, termination agreements, and others. It is clear that the local self-government system, through its inconsistent and often poorly coordinated actions in straightforward legal matters, inadvertently creates opportunities for these lawsuits. Let’s not delude ourselves – anyone denied a right is justified in pursuing it through the courts, but the inefficiencies of local administration result in significant costs for the citizens,” expressed Perić.

A total of €368,628.05 was allocated for settling other obligations, and €163,728.11 was spent on taxes and contributions on net earnings as per judgments.

The city administration paid €43,455 for dog bite incidents, along with €23,232.48 for legal costs associated with these cases. Notably, residents in Podgorica reported cat bites as well; one individual received €299.98 and subsequently another payment of €423 due to a cat bite incident.

For “paid and unpaid orders for individuals and entities – expenses related to court proceedings”, the budget accounted for a total of €690,699.96.

This figure encapsulates court proceeding costs for labor relations (€93,435.89), expropriations (€46,787.14), repayment of other obligations (€34,991.93), expenses associated with public procurement procedures (€968.00), lawsuits for recourse (€200), dog bite cases (€23,232.48), and real estate tax-related court costs (€158,690.87).

Notably alarming are the expenditures resulting from the “silence of the administration”, totaling €331,028.65.

Srđan Perić highlighted that this information is particularly concerning.

“It’s well-known that local authorities are often uncooperative in providing insights into their operations. Councilors frequently struggle to obtain basic information without persistent efforts, which may not yield results. Citizens, in an even more precarious position, are denied the fundamental right to access information. Oftentimes, this silence is not merely negligence but intent to obstruct investigative efforts from councilors, the media, civil sector, or opposition. They seem willing to pay to keep certain matters under wraps – and all at the citizens’ expense,” Perić remarked.

€299.98 plus another €423 was paid to a woman from Podgorica, NA, for a cat bite.

He pointed out that due to administrative silence, funds are being disbursed from the budget that could otherwise provide five children’s playgrounds in outlying or rural areas of the city.

“The Preokret Movement proposed increasing funding for professional development across all budget units from €61,800 to €123,600. This would be an investment aimed at reducing these costs by fostering a more trained and coordinated local self-government. However, the government rejected this proposal. It’s crucial to stress that the principal responsibility lies with those orchestrating the workforce, not the employees who often lack adequate guidance from management to perform efficiently. At times, management complicates matters by failing to grasp issues or organize workflows properly. We find ourselves in a situation where those with lesser capability often manage those with greater expertise. The root cause of all this is party cadres, prioritizing political patronage over merit. Ultimately, it is the citizens who bear the financial burden,” underlined the Preokret councilor in the Podgorica Assembly.

Due to administrative silence, amounts are paid from the budget that could furnish five children’s playgrounds in the outskirts or rural locales, according to Srđan Perić.

Podgorica’s Mayor Saša Mujović did not respond to inquiries regarding the city administration’s expenses related to lawsuits and out-of-court settlements, nor did he clarify what measures the new city administration would take to mitigate these costs.

Data for this article was obtained by Vijesti through SPI and the MANS application “Ask institutions”.

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