Lompar: The unlawful appointment of Radulović is merely a continuation of the work of the Ministry, the scandals accompanying Vujović’s mandate paint a sad picture of that sector

The dismissed Director of the National Library “Đurđe Crnojević” Dragica Lompar stated that the appointment of her successor Ivan Radulović is unlawful and represents nothing more than a continuation of the practices of the Ministry of Culture and Media.

The Government of Montenegro dismissed Lompar from the position of Director of the National Library due to the expiration of her mandate in March of this year and appointed Ivan Radulović as the new director.

Lompar claims that her dismissal followed her public warnings about violations of the law and abuses within the cultural sector, primarily related to the awarding of the Thirteenth of July Award to writer and denier of the Montenegrin nation Bećir Vuković.

In July of this year, she confirmed that Vuković’s awarded poetry collection “Kuća beskućnika” (“The House of the Homeless”) does not exist in the COBISS database, which registers published books.

- After a full nine months, the Minister of Culture and Media Tamara Vujović finally managed to find a person for the position of Director of the National Library of Montenegro “Đurđe Crnojević.” It took a long time because it seems she went through a list of individuals willing to accept this responsible post, provided they met only one condition - that they were not Montenegrin-oriented. Whether this is in line with her personal national affiliation or whether such a criterion was imposed on her, I leave it to the public to judge  Lompar stated in a response submitted to the ETV Portal.

She emphasizes that Minister Vujović has not found the time to receive her since early March 2025, despite her requests and despite the fact that she personally informed the minister in February that her mandate was expiring.

- Such an attitude toward an institution of paramount importance, which safeguards Montenegro’s written heritage, its language, culture, and identity, is devastating. Just like her entire ministerial tenure - Lompar stressed.

She notes that it is not difficult to conclude that there may have been uncertainty over whether she would be appointed for another term until the scandal surrounding the awarding of the state’s highest prize to writer Bećir Vuković.

- After my public appearance defending the laws of Montenegro and the integrity of the Library, at a time when the Ministry of Culture and Media once again “turned a blind eye” and waited for the issue to pass, the search for a candidate began. Who the person decorated with the Thirteenth of July Award is, and what that person did to obtain not only the Award but also the benefits stemming from it, I will not elaborate on - Lompar said, reminding that the case is before the Prosecutor’s Office based on her complaint.

Nevertheless, she states that Vujović, or as she refers to her “Madam Minister,” bears the greatest responsibility for enabling the Award to be granted to Vuković and for failing to halt the entire procedure after learning that abuses had occurred.

At the same time, all those who publicly opposed and protested against what they saw as the humiliation of both the Award and the state were prosecuted, while Bećir Vuković, Lompar recalls, continued to do what is characteristic of him - “to appropriate what does not belong to him.”

- The scandals that have marked her entire mandate, the undisguised hypocrisy when it comes to Montenegro’s interests and the protection of its national identity, the failing grades the Ministry receives from the Government for its work, and the lack of response to nationalist and fascist statements and actions across Montenegro paint a sad picture of the state of one of the most important and complex ministries – Lompar emphasized.

She notes that the position she held for four years and nine months, along with 38 years of service at the National Library, gives her the right to state that in every segment of its operations, together with her associates, she did the best and most she knew how without, as she says, seeking any recognition or privileges, without interference from anyone, without imposed staff, in an entirely professional manner, and with full respect for the fact that the National Library belongs to all citizens of Montenegro.

- For all of this, I received only support and respect from the Montenegrin public. As a cultural heritage professional, I never received a loan, an apartment, or the status of a distinguished cultural expert, as for decades such benefits were reserved exclusively for artistic creation. All those valuable, competent, and educated people who still work in the cultural heritage sector have never been given the opportunity for the state of Montenegro to recognize them through the granting of this status – Lompar stressed.

The latest appointment, she says, is merely a continuation of the work of the Ministry of Culture and Media.

Lompar states that in the process of proposing the candidate, Article 47 of the Law on Culture was grossly violated, which stipulates: “The director of a public institution founded by the state shall be an established artist or an established expert in the field of culture”.

She asks whether Prime Minister Milojko Spajić, together with his ministers, is even aware of this fact and whether they will seek an explanation and accountability.

- And, more importantly, will the new director of the National Library of Montenegro “Đurđe Crnojević” accept an unlawful appointment? Has he prepared a five-year development plan for the institution? On what basis he was recognized as an “established expert in culture” remains to be seen – Lompar concluded.