Prime Minister’s Office resents the attempt to politicise a case of a citizen of seriously damaged health

The Office of the Prime Minister of Montenegro resents heinous insinuations published recently in the news, which makes an unfounded link between help provided by the Office to a citizen of seriously damaged health and the forthcoming local elections.

The statements published on 14 May 2014 in the daily newspaper Dan on page IV, section Regions, in the text whose lead-in reads “Opposition activists point to new abuses in Kolašin” and whose headline reads “Help comes on the eve of elections,” as well as the statements published in the daily newspaper Vijesti at page 3, in the text whose lead-in reads “Humanity or election campaign,” and whose headline reads “Milo’s Office calls about the bathroom,” which state that the Prime Minister’s Office has responded during the election campaign are incorrect.

Mr Živko Đurišić, a citizen of Kolašin has not, as is stated, contacted the Prime Minister “recently,” but as far back as 11 July 2013, in a letter which has been registered at the Government’s clerk’s office under no. 01-001-4097 (please see download section). In his letter, Mr Đurišić explained the details of his dire health condition and his social status, as well as the fact that he lives in an object which does not have an adequate sanitary conditions.

The Bureau for relations with citizens has undertaken activities within its remits to overcome this problem quickly after the letter had been received.

The largest portion of required construction material, which has been provided for from donations, was delievered to Mr Đurišić’s house in November and December 2013.

All of the above makes it clear that the continuous work and dedication of the Prime Minister’s Office related to this case is not in any way linked to the upcoming elections. We therefore not only reject the fallacious statements published in the press, but also voice our concern by reacting to an unheard of attempt to politicise a case of a citizen whose health is seriously damaged for election purposes.

The Office and the Prime Minister personally daily receive many letters from citizens. The Bureau for relations with citizens treats all the letters with accountability and professional standards and in accordance with their sphere of activity and the law. We are guided by an honest objective to meet all the requirements of the citizens to as greater extent as possible, without making any distinctions among them, and we especially not making political distinctions, which have never been a matter of our interest.

The Bureau for relations with citizens points to the fact that the Office of the Prime Minister had not been contacted prior to the publication of the texts, which is a violation of the first principle of the Code of Conduct of Montenegrin Journalists, which states the following: “Duty of a journalist is to respect the truth and persistently search for it, having in mind a right of the public to be informed and human need for justice and humanity.” The Bureau for relations with citizens expects of the daily newspapers Dan and Vijesti to publish this response in accordance with the Code of Conduct and the Law on Media (Official Gazette, no 51/02, 23 September 2002, and no 62/02, 15 November 2002).

BUREAU FOR RELATIONS WITH CITIZENS