KCCG on Peruničić: We will implement all available mechanisms for determining ethical and professional responsibility

AUTHOR:M.J. GDNUS

The Clinical Center of Montenegro strongly condemns any form of violent, verbal, sexist, or any form of unethical behavior, the institution announced, after City Television journalist Magdalena Čelanović reported Clinical Center doctor Vladimir Peruničić to the police for, as she stated, insults, threats, and harassment.

We are publishing the Clinical Center's statement in its entirety:

"The recent behavior of a doctor employed by our institution is particularly reprehensible because threats directed at media workers represent an attack on freedom of expression and the foundations of a democratic society.

We share the condemnations expressed by non-governmental and trade union organizations, associations and individuals, and we especially respect the position of the Media Union, which indicates that journalists, as well as health workers, are often exposed to attacks because of the work they do, and that their work plays an important role in society and that it is their responsibility to be an example of dignified and responsible communication.

We also share the condemnation of the Medical Doctors' Union of Montenegro, which considers the communication expressed by a doctor towards a journalist to be unacceptable, which rightly caused strong negative reactions from the public, and that such behavior is completely incompatible with the ethics, dignity and responsibility that the medical profession implies.

In light of the incident itself, the Clinical Center, upon receiving a complaint from Ms. Magdalena Čelanović, despite the fact that the controversial comments did not occur in the context of providing healthcare or within the scope of professional duties, intervened with the employee, which, as we were informed, resulted in an apology and assurance that the inappropriate communication would be terminated and would not be repeated, which, despite this, to our unpleasant surprise, nevertheless occurred.

Thanks to the timely reaction of the Police Administration, upon Ms. Čelanović's report, the inappropriate and unethical communication between the doctor and the journalist moved from social networks to the premises of the competent judicial authorities.

In the future, in accordance with legal authorities, the Clinical Center of Montenegro will implement all available mechanisms for determining ethical and professional responsibility in relation to the employee so that it could be considered in the prescribed procedures, and with the aim of determining professional competence to perform work in our institution.

We believe that the actions of the competent authorities of the Police Administration, the prosecutor's office, the judiciary and, in this specific case, our institution, will contribute to the prevention of such events in the future, i.e., their rapid recognition and timely reactions.

As the only tertiary healthcare institution in Montenegro that employs the largest number of medical staff in the country, we point out that in this specific situation, this is the sole responsibility of the individual, and that such an act must not cast a shadow over thousands of honorable healthcare workers who defend the dignity of their profession with their expertise and dedication every day."