Montenegro’s Ombudsperson found that the public preschool Djina Vrbica in Podgorica failed to operate during the Orthodox holidays of Good Friday and Easter Monday in April 2025. This denied access to preschool education for children whose parents either had to work or did not celebrate Easter, violating their legally guaranteed rights.
Although the Ministry of Education stated that no official parental requests were made, the Ombudsperson emphasised that preschools are obligated to provide services during religious holidays regardless of such requests. Staff wishing to observe holidays must notify management in advance so duty schedules can be arranged.
The excuse that children shouldn’t switch teachers or classrooms was deemed invalid. The Ministry was instructed to ensure all public preschools uphold the law by maintaining operations during religious holidays while respecting staff rights.