At the beginning of the mandate of the current city administration of Kotor, the budget was 19 million euros, and this year it has more than doubled - it is 44 million euros, which is the largest budget of Kotor ever. Also, it has never happened that more than 20 million was invested in Kotor in just one year, just as it happened for the first time that the implementation of the capital budget of the municipality exceeded ninety percent. Many did not believe that it was possible to implement such a number of projects in a relatively short period of time, but together we succeeded. We have shown that we know how to develop the city, to restore the infrastructure and create a new one, without any delays or delays.
We reconstructed and built 25 sports fields and children's playgrounds. Among them are the grounds of the Njegoš elementary school in Benovo and in Škaljar, and the Veljko Drobnjaković school in Risno. The students of Savo Ilić elementary school received a new field and a reconstructed sports hall, and new or renovated fields in Perast, Rakite, Vidikovac and Sveti Stasi, as well as a bućar and multifunctional sports field in Stolivo, were completed. We renovated halls and toilets in almost all primary and secondary schools, and we also invested in kindergartens, hospitals and state institutions.
In the past four years, we have done a lot to improve the quality of life of our fellow citizens. We improved and significantly improved the geronto-housewives program, set aside significant funds for social benefits and scholarships for students, and allocated the most funds for sports in history, which brought results in all fields. Fees for newborns have been increased three times - to 450 euros.
However, we are most proud of our work in the field of improving the lives of children and the elderly. We organized an extended stay service for all first and second grade students in all schools on the territory of the Municipality, which has been functioning smoothly for two years. In this way, we have created conditions for children to stay safely, with a provided meal and work on school assignments, while parents can perform their work duties unhindered. This year, we fully subsidized student transportation, so parents no longer have to pay for student tickets.
For elderly fellow citizens, we opened a day care center in Rakite, and we also started a day care center for people with dementia. In the coming period, we will further develop free schools and workshops. We will fully subsidize children's stay in kindergartens, so kindergartens for children in Kotor will be free. We will also organize day care for the elderly in all parts of the municipality, with subsidies for those with the lowest incomes.
Investments we are proud of
We are especially proud of the projects in which the Municipality was a partner in financing works on several state facilities. The reconstruction of the Pediatric Department of KBC Kotor, worth 275.000 euros, was fully financed by the Municipality. We were also the majority investor in the renovation of the kindergarten in Dobrota, creating a significantly better environment for the youngest.
We finished the reconstruction of the Slavjanska čitaonica in the very heart of Dobrota, and now the horticultural refinement of its surroundings is coming. The future purpose of this building was decided in the past, when the Slavic Reading Room was founded to preserve and nurture culture, tradition, language and music. It will remain so in the future.
In the previous four years, we worked to create an opportunity for our fellow citizens to solve their housing issue in a systematic way. We launched a housing construction project, which today resulted in a building for healthcare workers with almost 70 apartments under construction, while contracts for the construction of another 250 housing units were signed in cooperation with various trade union organizations.
Aware of the fact that, at current prices, it is almost impossible for young people to start families and solve their housing problem, we plan to start building apartments for young married couples in the next four years. We have the experience and knowledge for this project, which we proved by creating the conditions for employees in healthcare, education, police, judiciary and administration to start solving the issue of their existence after three decades. We will provide salaries, communal equipment and projects, and in agreement with banks, favorable financing for the construction of buildings for young people. Apartments for young married couples at construction prices - that's good news for Kotor.
Urban planning in defense of public interest
We managed to preserve our city on the UNESCO list, protect the space and the unique value that Kotor has for the entire civilization. We defended Kostanjica, introduced rigorous rules for the construction of buildings. Today, instead of red UNESCO lists, praises are coming from Paris.
Kotor urban planning, once in bad repute, is today a service made up of young and professional people, at the service of citizens and in defense of the public interest. With such work, we created the preconditions so that the area of the former foundry does not become a residential complex of dubious investors, but a public park and space for future generations to grow up. The new square, the covered market and the parking lot at Sveti Stasi are already significantly changing the lives of the residents of this part of Kotor.
Road infrastructure, as the basis of connectivity and functionality, was in our special focus. The biggest investment was in Gornji Grblje - Gradac, Pocinje, Šišići, Sutvara and Dub. The road to Mali Zalazi was opened, and funds were also invested in improving the infrastructure in Ledenice and Gornji Orahovac. The road from the main road to the Veljko Drobnjaković elementary school was built, and the road to Bunovići in Gornji Morinje was concreted. The reconstruction of the roads was accompanied by new roads in the municipality with a length of over 27 kilometers.
We worked on expanding the water supply network, and one of the most important projects is the construction of a water supply system for several villages in Donji Grblje. Villages such as Višnjevo, Krimovica, Zagora, Kovač and Glavatičić will soon receive a modern water supply system. Preconditions have been created so that, after connecting to the main pipeline, the villages of Lješevići, Vranovići, Pobrđe and Bigova will receive water from the pipeline for the first time in history. In this way, we create better conditions for the lives of citizens in this part of our municipality, but also the environment for the largest tourist investment in Montenegro - Bigova Bay, in the amount of 400 million euros, and we open opportunities for further economic development of this part of our coast and the municipality as a whole.
Good environment for investments
We have created a favorable environment that attracts investments, and this is a central part of our development strategy. In support of the success of such an approach, the opening of the Hyatt Regency hotel and the start of the cable car "Kotor-Lovćen" testify.
The year ahead is the year in which the fate of business premises in the Old Town will be decided for the next decade. As we defended the UNESCO status, we will know how to defend the heart of the City. As we knew then to correct the wrong path of the three-decade government, so we will know today to restore Kotor's good name.
Through the use plan, we will introduce strict rules on the use of municipal spaces, which will prevent the cultural identity of the city from changing. The conditions for future public invitations will be such that Kotor's businessmen, within the scope of the law, will be given priority over others, so that they, who are the soul of the city, will remain there.
We showed that we know how to turn things around and revive the City. We organized spectacular new year's celebrations, concerts throughout the year, the opening and closing of the season, the Kotor Winter Fest, which lasted for two months. We became a regional concert center for the first time, and again a city that lives all year round. Now is the time for new challenges. In the coming period, we will additionally position Kotor on the concert map of Europe, bringing big world names.
The results are a guarantee for future projects
The results show that we have fulfilled everything we promised, and that is why our future projects are not just a promise. We are their guarantors. The cable car to San Giovanni will be built, just like the large garage with more than 1000 parking spaces in Škaljar. It is absolutely certain that we will bring water to every house in Kotor, reconstruct the city swimming pool and complete the sewage system in Perast, Risno and Prčanj. Kotor's young married couples will be able to get their first apartment for the price of construction.
It's a good word for them, it's a good word for Kotor, a good name for Kotor!
(Vladimir Jokić - DOBAR GLAS - For the mayor - Democrats/PES)
