Serbia's Ministry of Interior Faces Scrutiny Over Rising Legal Costs and Workers' Rights Violations
The Serbian police ministry reportedly overspent its budget on legal disputes, raising concerns about management practices and employee rights.
The Serbian Ministry of Interior (MUP) has come under scrutiny for its significant expenditures on legal proceedings related to employee rights violations, according to a report from the State Audit Institution.
In just over three months of 2024, the MUP has already spent approximately 1.8 billion dinars (around 15.3 million euros), which constitutes 70% of the total budget allocated for legal expenses this year, set at 2.5 billion dinars.
With nine months remaining in the fiscal year, this spending trend raises concerns about financial management within the ministry.
Dragan Žebeljan, Deputy President of the Police Union "Sloga," and retired Major Predrag Simonović, a police officer, have expressed concerns that these expenditures stem from unlawful actions taken by senior MUP officials, which have resulted in employees seeking justice through the courts.
They have indicated that those responsible for illegal decisions are not held accountable, placing the financial burden squarely on taxpayers in Serbia.
Žebeljan stated that the current situation reflects alarming violations of employee rights within the MUP, which potentially undermines the stability of the system and the safety of citizens.
He also highlighted that instead of adhering to legal frameworks and employee rights, significant funds are diverted to court cases arising from these unlawful actions.
He attributed these issues to disorganized management, political interference, and the arbitrary actions of individuals within the ministry.
Additionally, Žebeljan noted that the remaining qualified personnel within the ministry are forced to operate under the commands of superiors, facing pressures, unwarranted disciplinary actions, and demotion, which leads to a demoralization of staff and ultimately encourages skilled workers to leave.
Simonović added that it is particularly troubling that despite the MUP spending over two billion dinars in 2024 alone to settle legal claims, no individuals have been held responsible for these costs.
He pointed out that the majority of these expenses are attributable to unlawful decisions made by authority figures within the ministry.
He cited ongoing lawsuits by members of the Service for the Suppression of Organized Crime (SBPOK) and the War Crimes Investigation Service (SORZ) over unpaid salaries, which have persisted for over ten years, directly linked to salary coefficient decisions.
In examining court precedents from the Supreme Court of Cassation, it is noted that one recent ruling mandated the payment of 1.8 million dinars to a member of SBPOK, including late payment penalties and associated pension contributions.
Despite such rulings, the MUP has opted not to negotiate settlements with members of SBPOK and SORZ, instead opting for legal battles incurring additional costs.
Simonović reported that he informed the Internal Control Sector and the Secretariat about the financial implications related to court fees and penalties, amounting to approximately 1.5 million dinars, while noting potential elements of criminal negligence.
However, he claims that the Secretariat responded by asserting that MUP's actions did not violate any laws, despite the financial impacts on the taxpayers, emphasizing that the Human Resources Sector did not engage in agreements regarding unpaid salaries for SBPOK and SORZ officials.
Since 2013, details have emerged indicating that the MUP has allocated an astonishing 17 billion dinars for court fines and penalties over a decade.
These figures suggest a troubling trend, with annual expenditures increasing from an average of 1.7 billion dinars to 2.2 billion dinars in recent estimates.
In just over three months of 2024, the MUP has already spent approximately 1.8 billion dinars (around 15.3 million euros), which constitutes 70% of the total budget allocated for legal expenses this year, set at 2.5 billion dinars.
With nine months remaining in the fiscal year, this spending trend raises concerns about financial management within the ministry.
Dragan Žebeljan, Deputy President of the Police Union "Sloga," and retired Major Predrag Simonović, a police officer, have expressed concerns that these expenditures stem from unlawful actions taken by senior MUP officials, which have resulted in employees seeking justice through the courts.
They have indicated that those responsible for illegal decisions are not held accountable, placing the financial burden squarely on taxpayers in Serbia.
Žebeljan stated that the current situation reflects alarming violations of employee rights within the MUP, which potentially undermines the stability of the system and the safety of citizens.
He also highlighted that instead of adhering to legal frameworks and employee rights, significant funds are diverted to court cases arising from these unlawful actions.
He attributed these issues to disorganized management, political interference, and the arbitrary actions of individuals within the ministry.
Additionally, Žebeljan noted that the remaining qualified personnel within the ministry are forced to operate under the commands of superiors, facing pressures, unwarranted disciplinary actions, and demotion, which leads to a demoralization of staff and ultimately encourages skilled workers to leave.
Simonović added that it is particularly troubling that despite the MUP spending over two billion dinars in 2024 alone to settle legal claims, no individuals have been held responsible for these costs.
He pointed out that the majority of these expenses are attributable to unlawful decisions made by authority figures within the ministry.
He cited ongoing lawsuits by members of the Service for the Suppression of Organized Crime (SBPOK) and the War Crimes Investigation Service (SORZ) over unpaid salaries, which have persisted for over ten years, directly linked to salary coefficient decisions.
In examining court precedents from the Supreme Court of Cassation, it is noted that one recent ruling mandated the payment of 1.8 million dinars to a member of SBPOK, including late payment penalties and associated pension contributions.
Despite such rulings, the MUP has opted not to negotiate settlements with members of SBPOK and SORZ, instead opting for legal battles incurring additional costs.
Simonović reported that he informed the Internal Control Sector and the Secretariat about the financial implications related to court fees and penalties, amounting to approximately 1.5 million dinars, while noting potential elements of criminal negligence.
However, he claims that the Secretariat responded by asserting that MUP's actions did not violate any laws, despite the financial impacts on the taxpayers, emphasizing that the Human Resources Sector did not engage in agreements regarding unpaid salaries for SBPOK and SORZ officials.
Since 2013, details have emerged indicating that the MUP has allocated an astonishing 17 billion dinars for court fines and penalties over a decade.
These figures suggest a troubling trend, with annual expenditures increasing from an average of 1.7 billion dinars to 2.2 billion dinars in recent estimates.
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