On Monday, the Special State Prosecutor's Office (SDT) submitted files to the Basic State Prosecutor's Office (ODT) in Herceg Novi, pointing out irregularities regarding the accelerated works of the "Carine" company, which, despite a ban issued by the Administration for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, is filling the sea and devastating the coast in the heart of Baošić in Boka Bay.
Basic State Prosecutor in Herceg Novi Nikola Samardzic He told "Vijesti" that the SDT submitted files created based on a letter from the Protector of Property and Legal Interests of Montenegro, which point to irregularities, which, as he stated, are already the subject of verification in the investigation procedure of that prosecutor's office.
"On February 18, 2026, the ODT in Herceg Novi issued verbal instructions to the Herceg Novi Police Directorate to verify the allegations regarding the filling of the coast and the construction of a hotel in Baošići. This initiated the investigation procedure during which the Herceg Novi Police Directorate, at the order of the acting prosecutor, collected documentation on the work carried out, documentation on the basis of which the work was carried out, and information from several persons," Samardžić's response states.
The prosecutor also clarified that the Supreme State Prosecutor Milorad Marković, the day after the case was formed, submitted media announcements about the works in Baošići to the Herceg Novi ODT.
"The Supreme Prosecutor's Office requested information about the actions taken by this prosecutor's office," the prosecutor from Herceg Novi said.
When asked by "Vijesti" whether the prosecution was aware that the competent institutions - the Ministry of Urbanism, Spatial Planning and State Property, the Ministry of Culture and Media, as well as municipal services, have not responded to numerous letters for a long time, as well as the ban on works because the coast is being illegally devastated, in an area under UNESCO protection, the ODT replied:
"At this stage of the procedure, we cannot comment on the actions of other state bodies or the persons from whom information is being collected."
For more than a month, the "Carine" company has been filling the sea in an area of over 12,5 thousand square meters, which is approximately the area of 12 football stadiums, in order to arrange a swimming area in front of the future hotel in Baošići, which they planned to open before the summer tourist season.
The works are being carried out despite the fact that the Administration for the Protection of Cultural Heritage banned the company from carrying out the works on February 11th of this year, but also ordered the "Carine" to restore the coast with the mandraci and pontoons to its original condition.
The administration has imposed a suspension until a conservation project is developed and the necessary permits are obtained.
The prosecutor's office is also collecting information because the company "Carine" added two floors to the hotel for which they do not have the necessary documentation and consent.
The permit for filling the sea and concreting the coast in Baošići was issued by the Municipality of Herceg Novi, and on the last day of 2025, the Nature Protection Agency of Montenegro approved this incredible example of devastation of the coast and marine ecosystem, claiming that it allegedly did not require the preparation of an Environmental Impact Assessment Study.
"News" are from the Government and the relevant ministries, primarily the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property, headed by Slaven Radunović, sought answers as to why they are "turning a blind eye" to the devastation of the coast and why they are not reacting after the Directorate for the Protection of Cultural Heritage ordered the suspension of work.
"Your inquiry has been forwarded to the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property for review and further action," was the Government's brief response, while the others did not even respond as to why they were not taking action and allowing the work to be carried out in Baošići.
Asked to react
After the Administration for the Protection of Cultural Heritage ordered the suspension of works to the company "Carine", they visited the construction site in Baošići again five days later, where they determined that the ban on works was not being respected, but the inspectors concluded that the coastline was "permanently disturbed" and that "the waters of the Bay of Kotor are being occupied by filling", which is why they requested that the competent inspectorates of the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property, as well as the Ministry of Culture and Media, carry out an inspection.
On that day, the company was also issued a decision to return everything to its original state because the works on the beach were destroying an integral part of the protected part of the coast inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
According to unofficial information from "Vijesti", the inspection services of the two ministries, even after a month, have not submitted a response to the Administration for the Protection of Cultural Heritage on whether they conducted the inspection, nor information on how, on January 13 of this year, a building permit was issued to "Carin" for the development of the bathing area in Baošići, without a conservation project.
The fact that the final project documentation is being hidden from the Administration for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, which was not submitted to them for review and approval, also indicates that something suspicious is hidden behind the entire project in Baošići.
Minister Radunović's office did not respond to "Vijesti" whether the Urban Planning and Construction Inspection reacted to the request of the Administration for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, nor what they noted during the inspection in Baošići, if any, after numerous media reports that the waters of Boka Bay, which are under UNESCO protection, are being permanently devastated.
Radunović did not answer whether the Police Directorate had requested information from them, nor whether he had stated at the National Commission for UNESCO that the company "Carine" allegedly had a proper construction permit for carrying out works in Baošići.
Radunović's department did not respond to a request for comment on whether they were aware that the "Carine" company had added two floors to the hotel without a proper construction report, but also without the consent of the Administration for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, which is also the subject of an investigation by the prosecution in the pre-trial phase of the proceedings.
Who hasn't seen two floors?
Due to works on the beach in Baošići, the Administration for the Protection of Cultural Heritage has submitted an initiative to the Office of the Protector of Property and Legal Interests of Montenegro. Bojana Cirovic, who submitted the files to the SDT.
The SDT decided that it is competent for the actions of the ODT Herceg Novi, which has had a case opened since February 18 due to possible illegalities regarding the development of the beach and the addition of two floors to the hotel.
The company "Carine" added two floors to the future hotel, and in October last year, the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property asked the Administration for the Protection of Cultural Heritage to issue technical conditions for the purposes of developing technical specifications for the construction of a facility in the hinterland of the Baošići beach.
The management rejected such a request, stating that the conservation conditions did not provide for the continuation of the addition of floors to the hotel.
The devastation of the coast due to the construction of the beach in Baošići was recently noted by the Navigation Safety Inspection, which noted that the coastline had been changed to the extent that "valid nautical charts for that part of Boka Bay have become outdated", but also that the coastal maritime light, which was located on top of the now-buried old Baošići pier and lighthouse, had lost its function.
The project of the company "Carine" in Baošići was supported by the Mayor of Herceg Novi Stevan Katić (Democrats), and indirectly by Radunović, who said at the session of the National Commission for UNESCO on February 20 that he had asked the competent inspection to check the building permit and that "it was determined that it was correct."
He and Katić then opposed the request of the Commission President, the Prime Minister Milojko Spajić to annul the disputed construction permit issued by "Carine", emphasizing that it is in the "public interest" to build a new swimming pool for which, according to Radunović, there is a relevant planning basis, and they warned that in the event of the permit being annulled, the investor could sue and seek large damages from the Municipality and the state.
The valid spatial planning documentation, as well as the valid Atlas of the Coastal Zone's beaches, do not provide a legal basis for planning and carrying out such a drastic intervention in space as turning the coast into a concrete-gravel surface of as much as 14.500 square meters, at the expense of the sea.
The construction of concrete plateaus in Montenegro is not recommended by the plan, because they cannot fit into the natural environment of the coasts and prevent the preservation of biodiversity in the coastal zone.
Radunović approves new projects at "Carinama"
On the same day that the ODT opened a case due to suspicion of illegal actions regarding obtaining permits for the construction of a swimming pool and the addition of a floor to a hotel in Bašići, the company "Carine" received new approval for projects in Boka.
On February 18th of this year, Minister Slaven Radunović signed approvals for urban planning and technical conditions for Čed Popović's company "Carine" to build residential complexes in Đenovići and Kumbor.
The approvals were issued based on the Spatial and Urban Plan that the Municipality of Herceg Novi amended last year.
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