Đurašević: Net value of contracts for personal advisors to members of Parliament reaches €147,800, largest number hired by NSD

The total net value of all submitted contracts for personal consultants to MPs in the Parliament of Montenegro, including those extending beyond 31 May, amounts to €147,800, excluding applicable taxes and social security contributions - according to Programme Associate at the Centre for Civic Education Nikola Đurašević.

The mechanism, introduced in 2025, has been used by 22 MPs from five parliamentary groups. Some MPs changed consultants during the period, bringing the total number of individuals engaged to 27.

- During the first five months of this year alone, MPs' personal consultants cost taxpayers a net total of €85,200 - Đurašević said.

He recalled that Parliament Speaker Andrija Mandić, when announcing the new budget item in November 2024, had said that every MP would be able to hire one adviser „to assist them in their work“.

According to Đurašević, the first appointments under the scheme began in August 2025. CCE's analysis covers the period from 1 January to 31 May this year, focusing on the scope of engagements, remuneration and the professional backgrounds of the consultants.

- The largest number of consultants – ten - were hired by MPs from the New Serbian Democracy (NSD), with contracts worth a combined net €46,000. For MP Jelena Božović, law graduate Aleksandar Mijović was hired. MP Milan Lekić was assisted at different times by geography specialist Vujo Grbović and Ana Dromljak, whose educational background is not listed in the documentation. MP Milica Rondović was advised by law graduate Velimir Vukašinović and economist Miroslav Laketić, while MP Velimir Đoković was assisted by history and geography teacher Pero Radonjić. Economics graduate Milivoje Krgović worked for MP Vaso Obradović, political scientist Dušan Babić advised MP Dejan Đurović, teacher Nataša Jevrić worked for MP Bojana Pićan, and Boban Radević, whose educational qualifications are not specified, advised MP Jovan Jole Vučurović – Đurašević specified.

The highest overall contract value was recorded among MPs from the Bosniak Party, who allocated a combined net €51,000 for eight consultants.

- MP Amer Smailović is advised by security studies graduate Aladin Osmanović. MP Kenana Strujić Harbić was assisted at different times by management graduate Mirsad Džudžević, architecture and design graduate Emrah Demić, and financial management specialist Amer Demić. MP Edina Dešić was advised by English language and literature teacher Adeleta Ledinić. MP Jasmin Ćorović engaged international relations specialist Amina Ljajljević and management engineer Adnan Muhović, while economist Albina Fetahović advised MP Adel Omeragić – Đurašević said.

Three MPs from the Socialist People's Party and CIVIS hired three consultants with contracts worth a combined net €18,000.

- Bogdan Božović was advised by Balša Dragović, whose educational background is not listed. MP Maja Vučelić engaged international relations specialist Vuk Vlahović, while MP Slađana Kaluđerović was advised by marketing manager Tanja Vukotić – Đurašević said.

MPs from the Democratic People's Party hired four consultants with contracts worth a combined net €16,800.

- Milo Popović, who completed undergraduate studies at the University of Montenegro's Faculty of Political Science, was hired by MP Dragan Bojović. Applied computer science specialist Aleksandar Sekulić was engaged by MP Milan Knežević. Sekulić had previously served as State Secretary at the Ministry of Health before causing a traffic accident while under the influence of alcohol during working hours and leaving the scene. After resigning amid public pressure, he successfully applied for a 12-month post-office compensation payment. Shortly after those benefits expired, he became an adviser to the president of the political party in which he also serves as an official – Đurašević highlighted.

Political science specialist Ivana Marković Vujović advises MP Vladislav Bojović, while internal medicine specialist Vera Bulatović works for MP Jelena Kljajević.

Independent MPs in the Special Parliamentary Club hired two consultants, with contracts worth a combined net €16,000.

- Dr Mira Šorović was engaged by MP Radinka Ćinćur, while Ilmira Lika works for MP Ilir Čapuni. Their educational backgrounds are not specified in the documentation - Đurašević said.

MPs from the Europe Now Movement, the Democratic Party of Socialists, Democratic Montenegro, the Civic Movement URA, the European Alliance, the Albanian Forum, the Democratic Union of Albanians, the Croatian Civic Initiative, as well as independent MPs MPs not affiliated with a parliamentary group (Nikola Janović and Miodrag Laković), did not hire personal advisers.

- Although the consultants come from a broad range of professional backgrounds - including law, political science, international relations, economics, management, computer science, architecture, medicine, geography, languages and marketing - their job descriptions are largely identical or very similar. The contracts include preparing analyses of draft laws and other parliamentary acts, assisting in the preparation of amendments, draft legislation and committee reports, monitoring Montenegro's European Union accession process, analysing reports by the European Commission and the European Parliament, maintaining contacts with institutions, civil society organisations and the diaspora, preparing media content, monitoring media coverage, and performing various administrative and organisational tasks – Đurašević said.

According to Đurašević, CCE believes that professional support for MPs can contribute to better-quality legislative initiatives, amendments, parliamentary questions, public policy analysis and parliamentary oversight.

- However, a legitimate question remains: given the existing parliamentary services and the ability of parliamentary groups to employ secretaries and professional consultants, is it justified for every MP to receive an additional personal adviser at taxpayers' expense – Đurašević asked.

He added that there is still no visible evidence that MPs who hired personal advisers have become significantly more active in their parliamentary work.

- It is particularly important to clarify the practice of repeatedly signing successive contracts with the same individuals, as well as long-term engagements that in some cases extend through almost the entire year. Such arrangements may indicate work of a continuous nature, raising questions about the distinction between occasional consultancy services and regular professional, administrative or media support - Đurašević said.

He stressed that the rights enjoyed by MPs, like those of all public officials, must be accompanied by responsibility for the use of public funds.

- Without clear information demonstrating how more than €147,000 has improved the quality of Parliament's work, citizens are left knowing only the cost - not the tangible results achieved with their money - Đurašević concluded.