Even after the political changes of 2020, companies privileged during the era Milo Đukanović they continued to withdraw the most money from the state budget, through tenders and other means.
Among the first in terms of dealings with the state is still "Bemax", which is allegedly backed by the very top of the former political elite.
The new ruling party based its propaganda about introducing the rule of law on the story of the fight against the alleged criminal clan from "Bemax", while at the same time working with that company without hindrance, giving it jobs worth tens of millions of euros in the last few years.
Most other companies that were founded on the wings of support during the rule of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) do not have problems doing business with the new authorities either.
BEMAX
In the first year after the change of government in 2021, "Bemax" withdrew 19 million from the budget, and another million the following year. Despite calling out the then Prime Minister Dritan Abazović about this company's ties to cigarette and drug smuggling, 2023 was a record year for "Bemax"", which collected 26,9 million from the budget that year. They didn't do badly last year either, by the end of November they had received 9,7 million euros directly from the budget.
Although “Bemax”" the prime minister's government is also the culprit Milojko Spajić and vice president Alekse Bečić, with criticism that it is behind the current student protests, that doesn't stop them from contracting big deals with this company. This year alone, these deals will bring the company record profits from the budget.
The Traffic Administration (Administration) signed a contract with "Bemax" worth 9,3 million euros at the end of December last year for the reconstruction of the road connecting Petnjica and Bioče.
In early January, the Administration selected another bid from "Bemax" in the repeated tender for the construction of the western bypass around Podgorica, this time for the amount of 20,39 million euros.
The administration has only continued its old practice - from 2011 to 2021, it directly paid more than 75 million euros to the company for the work done by "Bemax", while the Ministry of Transport paid 46 million during that period, and the Ministry of Finance nearly 10 million. According to data from the Alternative Institute, since 2011, the most money has been paid to "Bemax" for roads, around 137 million. The Alternative Institute does not have updated data on its Mojnovac website for payments from the budget before 2011.
When added together, from 2011 until the end of last year, almost 180 million euros were paid directly to this company from the state budget.
But that's not all the money from the state treasury. In addition, "Bemax" also received the largest share of the pie intended for subcontractors during the construction of the first section of the Bar-Boljare highway. According to data from the state-owned "Monteput", published by the Network for the Affirmation of the Non-Governmental Sector (MANS), "Bemax" received 234 million euros for the section from Smokovac to Mateševo, or almost 30 percent of the total contracted price of that section, and significantly more than all other domestic subcontractors. The work was entrusted to them by the main contractor - the Chinese company China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC).
The largest construction company in Montenegro, which has the slogan "We are building Montenegro", was founded in 2007, before the economic crisis, at a time of construction boom and expectations of the start of highway construction.
“Bemax” was known as a company closely linked to the DPS. The company was associated with the former Minister of Foreign Affairs Milan Rocen, who was claimed to be its hidden owner. Roćen has denied this several times. The media also wrote that the company has a stake in Ranko Ubović, Aleksandar Mijajlovic, former Prime Minister Igor Luksic, as well as the now detained security guard and deputy director of the Police Directorate Zoran LazovicThere was speculation that the so-called Grand clan, which is associated with cigarette and drug smuggling, was behind this company.
Formally, the founder, 100% owner and director of the company was Veselin Kovačević who previously headed the company "Fin Invest", one of the companies in the "Atlas Group" Duško Knežević.
In July 2022, Kovačević sells the company Ivan Ubović, son of Ranko Ubović, for only 750 thousand euros. The younger Ubović buys "Bemax" by less than one percent of its then-current value as reported in official reports. Namely, according to financial reports from 2021, the company had fixed assets of 120 million euros, total capital was estimated at 142 million, and it also had retained earnings from previous years of 141 million euros.
Former Prime Minister Abazović accused Ranko Ubović and former police official Zoran Lazović of, among other things, smuggling cocaine and cigarettes through “Bemax”, with which his government was doing business at the same time, in late 2022. He also stated that “Bemax” illegally earned tens of millions by exploiting gravel from the Morača and Cijevna riverbeds.
According to a document from the Revenue and Customs Administration from August 2022, “Bemax” emerged from the Grand criminal clan, through which cigarette smuggling was carried out. This document was sent to Prime Minister Abazović, while he was at the head of the Revenue and Customs Administration. Milosevic works (URA), who was arrested a few months later in October 2022 on suspicion of participating in cigarette smuggling. The document detailing the cigarette smuggling system through “Bemax” was updated in 2024, when several individuals associated with the company were arrested.
In February 2024, Aleksandar Mijajlović was arrested. He was accused of creating a criminal organization and cigarette smuggling. In December 2024, other members of the alleged clan were arrested on suspicion of cigarette smuggling, including a businessman Saša Pekić, unofficial co-owner of the company “Tehnomax”.
The company "Bemax" is a donor to many sports clubs, numerous events, and also finances some of the media. In the Podgorica settlement of Tološi, the elementary school "Novka Ubović" was built a few years ago, which is a gift to the city from the Ubović family and the company "Bemax". Novka Ubović, the mother of Ranko Ubović, was a well-known educational worker in Podgorica. The school is a donation to the capital worth seven million euros, and “Bemax” was built a month ahead of schedule.
Despite the dubious initial capital and accusations of illegal activities, which the institutions have failed to fully investigate, “Bemax” has become the largest construction company in Montenegro. With experts and machinery, respect for deadlines and quality of construction, they have established themselves as one of the most serious companies in Montenegro, which often submits the most competitive bids in tenders.
MECHANIZATION AND PROGRAM
According to the "Mojnovac" portal, the Nikšić-based construction company "Mehanizacija i programat" earned 2011 million euros from the state budget from 2024 to 105,6.
In 2019, the then opposition Democratic Party of Montenegro (DCG) accused the company of being a DPS tycoon's company into which millions of state money was being poured.
From "Mechanization and Programming" They replied that they were not a tycoon or an offshore company, and that the then President of Montenegro, Milo Đukanović, had nothing to do with that company.
When the former opposition came to power, the business did not stop, but intensified. In 2021 alone, this company collected 3,3 million from the budget, and after that year the business expanded, so in 2022 it collected 17 million, in 2023 - 14,5 million, and during this year 13,3 million.
This company received 90 million for road construction, 7,6 million for local roads, and more than two million for streets and parks.
The most money was paid by the Transport Administration, more than 60 million, followed by the Ministry of Transport - 25 million...
Dusan Đurović is the chairman of the company's Board of Directors and the majority owner. The company also has shares in Vladimir Zecevic i Igor Đurović.
NEW VOLVOX
"Novi Volvox" earned 2011 million euros directly from the state budget from 2024 to the end of 67,8, according to the "Mojnovac" website. The company received the most money in 2019 - 14 million, but in the last few years its income directly from the budget has been in the millions. This does not include any potential income from "Volvox" as a subcontractor, nor deals with local governments.
From the state budget, the Public Works Administration paid more than 38 million euros to this company, the Capital Projects Administration more than 11 million, and the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism more than 10 million.
In 2022, the company, together with the Italian company "Leitner SPA", won the contract to build the Kotor - Lovćen cable car.
Majority owner of “Volovox” is a Podgorica-based company “Seed Capital Partners”, owned by Milan Ivanovic, which has an 81 percent stake. Ivanovic is the cousin of Miodrag i Vladan Ivanovic, who are considered close friends of Milo Đukanović. Vladan Ivanović was previously in the ownership structure of the company "Novi Volvox".
In May 2024, he was elected CEO of Volvox. Slavoljub Popadić, former executive director of Rudnik uglja and Crnogorski Telekom. He replaced Vladan Bajagić.
Owner of “Atlas Group” detained Dusko Knezevic He said a few years ago that the so-called no-man's-land, a luxury building near Vila Gorica, is owned by brothers Vladan and Miodrag Ivanović, and is worth around 10 million euros, and whose real owner is allegedly Đukanović.
PHIDIA
The Podgorica-based company "Fidija" had budget revenues of 65,9 million euros, the highest in 2023 - 11 million, and last year 10 million.
Since 2011, the state has paid this company for construction projects - 10,2 million, hospitals - 4,4 million, dispensaries - two million, roads - 1,6 million, and the most money was under the item "Others" - 38,3 million.
The Capital Projects Administration paid the most money to "Fidija" - 10 million, the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism - each over nine million, the Public Works Administration 7,8 million, the Directorate of Public Works - Construction and Reconstruction of Social Welfare Facilities - 7,3 million.
The owner of this company is Ivan Blagojević, and until December 2020, his father was JokoIn May 2019, Joko was arrested in Operation Klap for tax evasion, and then signed a plea agreement with the prosecution.
LD CONSTRUCTION
Budget revenues from June 2011 to the end of November last year of the Nikšić-based company "LD Gradnja" amounted to 35 million euros.
In the last two years, the company's budget revenues have been growing rapidly, amounting to 2023 million in 5,8, and six million last year.
The owner of this company is Luka NikcevicThe company was founded in 2007 and operates within the “LD Group” system of companies. from Nikšić, “Crna Gora Inžinjering” from Moscow and “Montenegro Inžinjering from Moscow”.
The most money was received from the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare - 11,8 million, the Capital Projects Administration - 5,9 million, the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism - 3,4 million, the Public Works Administration - more than six million, the Ministry of Economy - two million, the Ministry of Education - 1,5 million... Under the items other - more than 17 million, means of transportation - 8,7 million, construction facilities - 2,6 million, consulting services - 2,1 million...
LESS JOBS FOR “EURO ASPHALT”
The Bosnian company “Euro Asfalt” collected 2017 million euros from the Montenegrin budget from September 2024 to the end of November 71,8. The owner of this company is Hamed Ramic, who was ranked 65th on the list of the richest people in the region by the magazine "Nedjeljnik", with a capital of 404 million euros.
The company is not currently in bankruptcy, but it has been in bankruptcy four times for forced collection. The last bankruptcy, in the amount of 6.489 euros, lasted from the end of November to December 20 last year.
This company, which built roads, withdrew the most money from the budget in 2019 - 13 million, last year - 2 million, and this year seven million.
The Special State Prosecutor's Office (SDT) has also become interested in the company's sudden entry into Montenegro and winning contracts worth 60 million euros in a short time. The company's work on the Berane-Kolašin road, via Bjelasica, with the Klisura tunnel, was delayed by four years, and in the meantime, costs had increased by 20 million euros. The SDT has therefore filed a case against the former Minister of Transport Osman Nurković from the Bosniak Party (BS), as well as the former director of the Traffic Administration Sava Parace from DPS.
"Euro Asphalt" did not complete the Rožaje bypass on time. And during the work on it, the image of the collapse of the Veliki Ibarac bridge, whose construction was nearing completion, remained. The 160-meter-long bridge collapsed at the end of December 2020. On that occasion, three workers suffered serious injuries.
TECHNOLOGY
Company “Tehnoput” collected 2014 million euros from the state budget from 2024 to 60,8. It received the most money from the budget in 2018 - more than 10 million, and eight million in 2020. After the change of government, this company's business with the state was significantly reduced: in 2022 it collected 3,2 million directly from the budget, and in 2023 the budget revenue fell to half a million, and last year to 234 thousand euros.
This company, although blocked since the end of 2012 and at the top of the list of tax debtors due to a debt of almost seven million, has been doing business with the state without any problems.
The owner of the company is Saša Acimić, who was arrested in 2023 after removing the construction inspection stamp from the “Tehnoput” asphalt base on the Cijevna River. He was soon released, and last year he received approval for the asphalt base that had been operating illegally for more than a decade.
KROLING
The Danilovgrad-based company "Kroling" had millions in business with the state until 2016. Total revenues from the state budget since 2011 amount to 23,7 million, however, in recent years, it has been generating less and less revenue from business with the state.
Company owner Željko Misković has reoriented itself to the business of building small hydroelectric power plants. In 2016, this company received concessions for the construction of small hydroelectric power plants on three rivers that originate in the Prokletije National Park. Through the company “Kroling”, Mišković has been the owner of attractive and valuable real estate in the heart of Boka Kotorska, in Prčanj, since 2019. By decision of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, Vrmac's company received the real estate of the Prčanj Institute in exchange for a six-story building in Belgrade.
TOŠKOVIĆI
"Toškovići" are another construction company that had millions of euros in contracts with the state until 2021. They were paid 2011 million euros from the budget from 2021 to the end of 16,4. However, unlike many others, after the change of government they lost contracts with the state, so they only collected 2021 thousand euros from the state budget in 23.
At the end of last year, the company emerged from a blockade that lasted more than three months.
The owner of the company is Vanja Toskovic, and by 2022 it was Ivica Toskovic. He was convicted at the end of 2019 of the criminal offenses of creating a criminal organization and evading taxes and contributions. In the “Vardar” case, Tošković was named as a member of a criminal group that damaged the state budget by 3,7 million euros, and in the plea agreement he pledged to return the 140.000 euros that the prosecution had charged him with and pay a fine of 40.000 euros.
CRBC leads the round with almost 770 million
China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) is the company that received the most money from the Montenegrin budget - 769.875.748 euros, in the period from 2015 to June 2022. The Chinese company built a highway in Montenegro, with numerous environmental problems and a three-year delay. Although it is second on the black list of tax debtors, with a debt of 11,6 million, it has expressed interest in building a second section of the highway.
Of the foreign companies, after CRBC, the top of the list is “Jugopetrol” with budget revenues of 91.336.665. It is followed by the Austrian “Strabag” - the company has generated budget revenues of 46.883.619 in the last two years, and the former company “Strabag Podgorica” from July 2017 to August 2023 - 31.971.891 euros. “Lovćen osiguranje” - 67.266.665. From 2011 to the end of November this year, “Montenegro Telecom” (T-COM)'s budget revenues amounted to 34.033.359 euros.
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