Milica Jeličić, who was on the list of the Citizens’ Group “Voice of Youth That Changes Sečanj” in the local electionsin Sečanj on November 30, had her contract at the “Poletarac” Preschool expire on August 31, and it was not extended. According to Jeličić, this was preceded by months of pressure that began as early as April, when she was first threatened with dismissal. In an interview with Nova, Jeličić reveals how the pressure on her unfolded, who was responsible, and what led to the situation in which she was left without a job.
Following the local elections held on November 30 in Sečanj, in which Milica Jeličić was a candidate for the Citizens’ Group “Voice of Youth That Changes Sečanj,” months of pressure and intimidation followed because of her political engagement and public criticism of the local authorities. According to her, the first concrete pressure began in April, when she was first threatened with dismissal.
Several months later, on August 31, Jeličić’s employment contract at the “Poletarac” Preschool in Sečanj officially expired, and her contract was not extended. She sees this move as the culmination of a process that, she claims, had a political background from the very beginning.
In an interview with Nova, Jeličić says that the decision not to extend her contract was not made because of her professional work, but rather represents “political retaliation by the local regime against someone who dared to think for herself.”
“My ‘guilt’ is that for years I have openly criticized the ruling structure, pointed out their negligence, idleness, ignorance, arrogance and misconduct, and that in the recent local elections I was a candidate for the Citizens’ Group ‘Voice of Youth That Changes Sečanj,’” Jeličić states.
How it all began
According to her claims, the first concrete attempt to terminate her employment occurred in April. Jeličić claims there was an intention to dismiss her through an expedited procedure, and names SNS coordinator Saša Santovac and then-municipal president Nebojša Meljanac as the people who, according to what she learned, were involved.
“Meljanac went so far as to personally call the director of the ‘Poletarac’ Preschool, Nataša Radenović, and directly demand that the employment of the ‘blockader,’ that is, me, be terminated,” Jeličić claims.
However, the attempt to terminate her employment at that time was not carried out. Jeličić responded to the pressure by addressing institutions and speaking out publicly.
She filed a criminal complaint against director Nataša Radenović and SNS coordinator Saša Santovac, contacted the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, and also spoke about her case in the media.
“That completely disrupted their plans. What they were afraid of was the reaction of citizens and media pressure. They realized that an expedited dismissal at that moment would be a political own goal that would cost them far too much,” Jeličić says.
Instead of dismissal — waiting for the contract to expire
Jeličić believes that the strategy was changed precisely because of public pressure. As she claims, after the case became public, the immediate dismissal was abandoned and it was decided to wait until the end of August, when her contract expired.
“They went quiet and waited for my contract to simply expire. They were afraid of an open conflict and the reaction of the public, so they decided that it would be politically much more convenient for them to simply let the contract expire,” she states.
Thus, after several months of pressure, her contract officially expired on August 31, without being extended.
“The director is now trying to present this as her achievement”
Jeličić also addresses the role of the director of the “Poletarac” Preschool, Nataša Radenović. According to her, the director is now trying to present the fact that Jeličić remained employed until the expiration of her contract as the result of her own efforts.
“The director is now trying to take credit for this move, claiming that she was supposedly the one who fought to keep me until the contract expired. However, the truth is that no director in the public sector can make any serious move without the permission of party structures,” Jeličić says, adding:
“The director really was satisfied with my work, my responsibility and, I can freely say, my professional performance. Everything was fine until April. Later, that relationship was somehow forced.”
As an additional example of the institutions’ attitude toward her case, she cites the work of the Management Board of the “Poletarac” Preschool.
Out of a total of nine members, Jeličić claims, only two members attended the two sessions she officially requested because of the pressure and discrimination.
“The other seven were ‘prevented.’ Yet those same members were very prompt when, shortly afterward, they needed to gather and, among other things, vote on the director’s annual leave decision. I think that says enough about their attitude toward responsibility and work,” she states.
“This is not a defeat for me”
For Jeličić, the expiration of the contract is not an isolated event, but the final point in a process that, according to her claims, began back in April.
“You can manipulate dates and contracts, you can hide behind party coordinators, but you cannot silence the truth. This ‘dismissal’ is not a defeat for me. On the contrary, it is proof that I hit them where it hurts most — their fear of losing citizens’ support, privileges and positions,” Jeličić says.
She thanks the citizens who supported her during the previous months, and particularly points out that there was no gathering in front of the “Poletarac” Preschool or the municipal building on August 31.
“Once again, we showed maturity by not gathering in front of the institution or the municipality. We did not give in to provocations and remained true to ourselves — calm, honest and dignified. I think that is the best response to everything that happened in the previous months,” Jeličić says.
The expiration of her contract, she emphasizes, will not mark the end of her public engagement.
“My fight for justice, freedom of thought and a life worthy of a human being continues. I will make an effort to make my voice heard farther and louder. I will direct my energy toward supporting the students, as well as the Citizens’ Group ‘Voice of Youth That Changes Sečanj’. This is not the end and not a defeat, but simply a new phase of the struggle and an even stronger wind at our backs,” Jeličić concludes.
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Source: Nova.rs, Foto: Ranka Tomović Zubac
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