Lawyer Mihailo Volkov, representing over 100 dismissed school principals, announced a major court victory, securing the largest compensation amount so far—€33,000—for the principal of a school in Rozaje. This ruling follows a 2021 case where the then Minister of Education, Vesna Bratic, unlawfully dismissed numerous principals. Volkov believes the High Court will uphold this decision.
The dismissed principal was awarded higher compensation because, unlike other principals who continued as teachers, he could not be reassigned due to the lack of available teaching positions. Volkov is handling 65 more ongoing cases related to the illegal dismissals.
The Ministry of Education recently revealed it had paid over €282,000 in compensation to principals dismissed unlawfully. In 2021, Bratic dismissed principals without valid reasons, citing failure to form school boards, which was impossible due to the Ministry’s refusal to appoint members to these boards. This led to legal action, with Volkov filing complaints to the Special State Prosecutor’s Office (SDT) in 2022. Despite this, the SDT has yet to act on these complaints after more than two years.
Volkov also proposed that Bratic be personally liable for the damage caused, suggesting a recourse lawsuit to compensate for the harm. In February 2023, Montenegro’s property protector, Bojana Cirovic, filed a lawsuit against Bratic, demanding compensation for the unlawful dismissals. Bratic, who defended the dismissals as necessary to depoliticize education, criticized the lawsuit, calling the claim for €300,000 “small” compared to the benefits dismissed principals gained.
