Journalists and cameramen visit parking lots and garages for Government's official vehicles

Podgorica, Montenegro (22 May 2014) – Journalists, photo reporters and cameramen of various Montenegrin media have visited earlier today two parking lots and three underground garages used by the Government of Montenegro in order to shoot official vehicles. This visit was organised by the Government's Public Relations Bureau after the daily newspapers “Vijesti” and its web portal published an article regarding misuses of official vehicles by the Government's officials during days off work on the occasion of Montenegro’s Independence Day.

In coordination with the state security authorities, the Government provided recording of the following places:

- Underground garage within the building of the Government of Montenegro in Karađorđeva Street;

- Parking lots and garages of the Ministry of the Interior which are placed within the building of that Ministry on Saint Petar of Cetinje Boulevard;

- Parking lots of the Ministry of Defence in Jovana Tomaševića Street; 

- Underground garages beneath Roman Square, which are also used by occupants of the complex of buildings on Saint Petar of Cetinje Boulevard, Moskovska Street, George Washington Boulevard and various ministries located on the square.

Media representatives were offered to visit other parking lots used by the Government to shoot official vehicles which are regularly parked during the non working days, with the exception of those vehicles given for permanent use due to job purposes.

Terms and conditions for using official vehicles in carrying out daily work of the state authorities and services whose founder is Montenegro are prescribed by the Regulation on terms and conditions for using vehicles owned by Montenegro („Official Journal of Montenegro” N. 21/10, 57/11, 63/12), adopted by the Government according to the Article 28, paragraph 1, line 5 of the Law on State Property.

According to the Government's conclusion N. 06-5/6 issued on 28 February 2013, the Government’s Public Relations Bureau has opened a telephone line and an e-mail address for reporting alleged misuse of official vehicles. It has also launched a specific application for reporting this kind of misuses within internet and mobile platform called “Be responsible”.

Public Relations Bureau uses particular page http://www.gov.me/sluzbena_vozila/ of the Government’s web site for publishing all complaints submitted by citizens on the alleged misuse of official vehicles used by the state authorities. The complaints published on the web site contain specific time and place which indicate when the complaint is submitted to the particular state authority, as well as the response of the state authority which uses the vehicle in question. 

This application is the fastest and the easiest way for reporting any kind of misuse and, in cooperation with Public Relations Bureau, it is also a reliable way to report alleged misuse of official vehicles.

Head of Press and Information Office and Adviser to the Prime Minister Srđan Kusovac highlighted that he is willing to answer all the questions the media representatives want to submit regarding the misuse of official vehicles. Answering the question by Mila Radulović from the daily “Vijesti”, he underlined that any journalist, including her, can feel free to submit request for visiting any of the garages or parking lots, regardless of time, holiday or weekend.