The Center for Civic Education (CCE) from Montenegro and the Association for Social Research and Communications (UDIK) from Bosnia and Herzegovina welcome the decision of the Pension and Disability Insurance Fund of Montenegro to terminate the contract with the rehabilitation center “Vilina Vlas” in Višegrad and remove it from the program of rest and recovery for pension beneficiaries.
Ten days ago, UDIK and CCE sent an initiative to the Pension and Disability Insurance Fund to terminate this contract, emphasizing that it is unacceptable to promote this facility among pensioners in Montenegro for tourism and rehabilitation purposes without appropriate context, recognition and respect for the victims.
According to information from CCE and UDIK, the management of the Pension and Disability Insurance Fund reacted immediately and announced the termination of the contract, which had lasted for a decade, with the Union of Pensioners’ Associations being one of the contracting parties in the first years. The statement of the Pension and Disability Insurance Fund states that “the current management was not aware of the events of 1992 at the ‘Vilina Vlas’ hotel” and that, in accordance with the principles of social responsibility and respect for victims, it sent a written notice of termination of the contract”.
CCE and UDIK assess that this is an important step towards responsibility and respect for victims and emphasize the importance of incorporating an ethical component into all institutional programs intended for citizens.
At the same time, UDIK and CCE call on other institutions or legal entities in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina that offer “Vilina Vlas” for similar purposes to immediately terminate such contracts.
Finally, CCE and UDIK particularly emphasize the role of the media – their interest and reporting, as well as the space they gave to the initiative and author’s texts in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, was crucial for achieving this outcome and demonstrates the power of the synergy of the media and civic activism in affirming democratic values.
