„We remind management that Montenegro’s Public Broadcaster isn't Boris Raonić’s private property, but a public asset funded by all citizens of Montenegro“
The height of absurdity and legal cynicism, the union emphasised, lies in the fact that management is using the Code of Ethics to discipline employees, even though that same document was adopted by members of the Council who were finally convicted of abuse of office in connection with Raonić’s unlawful appointment
We remind management that Radio and Television of Montenegro is not Boris Raonić’s private property, but a public asset funded by all citizens of Montenegro, and that drawing attention to irregularities is a professional and civic duty of every journalist - the Trade Union Organisation of the Public Broadcasting Service of Radio and Television of Montenegro said in response to the Director General’s initiative requesting that the Ethics Committee initiate proceedings against journalist Časlav Vujotić.
The union organisation stated that it would not allow its members to be persecuted or subjected to retaliation for their public statements and truthful reporting on the work of the public broadcaster.
- The union will use all legal and trade union means at its disposal to protect our colleague Vujotić and defend the right to freedom of expression within the public broadcaster. Initiating disciplinary and ethics proceedings against employees who professionally and truthfully draw attention to irregularities within the Radio Television of Montenegro constitutes a classic act of retaliation, pressure and suppression of trade union and journalistic freedoms. As an organisation, we will not stand by silently and watch this happen - the statement said.
The union added that it did not view the initiative as an effort to protect the reputation of the public broadcaster, but rather as a classic example of retaliation, pressure on freedom of speech and the introduction of an outright offence of verbal expression for employees.
- This disgraceful complaint is not about upholding ethics, but about a panicked attempt to discredit our member personally and undermine his expertise ahead of the High Court’s forthcoming decision on his lawsuit, as well as an attempt to intimidate him into withdrawing it. Once the final court ruling is handed down, it will mean the end for Raonić - the statement read.
The union believes that the reputation of the public service broadcaster is being undermined by the failure to comply with multiple court judgments and by numerous unlawful practices within the organisation itself.
- Therefore, drawing attention to a lack of transparency, questionable recruitment competitions and poor business practices is not a „breach of the code“, but a professional and civic obligation. The attempt to classify critical opinions and the presentation of the truth as „factually unfounded claims“ and „damage to reputation“ has only one purpose: to introduce an offence of verbal expression and create an atmosphere of fear among employees - the statement said.
The union emphasised that the height of absurdity and legal cynicism lay in management’s use of the Code of Ethics to discipline employees, even though the same document had been adopted by members of the Council who were finally convicted of abuse of office in connection with Raonić’s unlawful appointment.
- It is legally and morally untenable for someone with court judgments against them for violations of the law to invoke ethics and professionalism while using such documents as a weapon to silence employees deemed undesirable. A simple review of the Code of Ethics makes it clear that Boris Raonić personally fails to meet even a single principle, standard or rule of business ethics prescribed by this document. Consequently, all other provisions and references to them are entirely irrelevant, because rules cannot be applied selectively - only to employees - while the person in charge violates them on a daily basis,” the union organisation said.
The union described it as particularly paradoxical and hypocritical that Raonić was accusing Vujotić of unprofessional conduct and public statements, while the public broadcaster's portal was simultaneously engaging in what it called the most blatant form of selective reporting and abuse in Raonić’s favour.
- In practice, we are witnessing deplorable standards whereby every personal post Boris Raonić publishes about the Radio Television of Montenegro on Facebook is immediately republished on the official portal, without any filtering whatsoever, turning a public space belonging to all citizens into the director’s personal mouthpiece - the statement said.
By contrast, the union added, their colleague Vujotić regularly submits his articles to the Radio Television of Montenegro portal, but to no avail.
- The portal’s management knowingly and deliberately censors the other side, concealing the views of employees and their legitimate representatives from the public. While critical submissions are pushed into drawers, the public broadcaster’s resources are being spent on legal proceedings, monitoring and analysing the private profiles of employees who dare to think critically - the union organisation said.
The union called on the legitimate members of the Ethics Committee not to allow themselves to become instruments in management’s campaign against those who disagree with it, and urged them to reject the unfounded initiative immediately.