The pre-qualification tender for the construction of the Mateševo - Andrijevica highway section will be canceled at the end of February and the main tender will be announced on the same day, at the request of the Delegation of the European Union in Podgorica and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Government confirmed to "Vijesti".
The EU and EBRD previously, as confirmed by "Vijesti", asked the Government to cancel the pre-qualification tender for the selection of contractors and to announce a main tender in which all companies could apply, including those that did not pass the pre-qualification.
As we learn, the formal reason for the cancellation of the pre-qualification tender is that due to protests by residents of the villages of Kralje and Slatina near Andrijevica, the route was relocated by 14 kilometers, and sources for "Vijesti" say that the reasons are also that European companies did not apply for the pre-qualification tender, but contractors from China, Turkey and Azerbaijan.
This request could delay the start of construction of this second section of the Montenegrin highway by up to a year.
"The bottom line is that European partners are not satisfied that only non-European companies, namely Chinese, Turkish and Azerbaijani, have applied. They have made comments that the Montenegrin Government did not advertise the project sufficiently in the EU before announcing the pre-qualification tender. Government representatives who were in charge of this part of the work claim that the project was advertised everywhere and that no one from the EU has contacted us," said the interlocutor of "Vijesti".
EU and EBRD provide favorable financing
"Vijesti" yesterday sent questions to the EU Delegation and the EBRD about whether it is true that they asked the Government to cancel the pre-qualification tender and if so, what are the reasons for that, whether the reason is that no EU companies have applied and whether the offers so far have been evaluated.
The EBRD sent responses, but did not specifically answer the questions.
"Regarding your inquiry, we can confirm that the tender for the construction of the second section of the Mateševo to Andrijevica motorway is being conducted by Monteput and that, once finalized, it will be published on the EBRD's e-procurement portal for clients. In accordance with the EBRD's procurement policies and rules, the client is fully responsible for implementing the bank's procedures, including all aspects of the procurement process from planning to contract award, while the bank advises and assists the client in the procurement process. For further questions, please contact Monteput directly," the EBRD said.
"Vijesti" is awaiting responses from Monteput and the Prime Minister's Office.
The European Commission announced at the beginning of last year that it would participate in the construction of this section with 100 million euros in grant support, and the EBRD with a soft loan of 200 million euros.
Precisely because of these benefits, the government will have to respect the wishes of its European partners, unless it can itself finance the construction of this 24-kilometer section, which is estimated at 550 to 600 million euros.
The pre-qualification tender was announced in April last year according to EBRD rules and procedures, and ended at the end of June. At the time, it was announced that five companies and three consortiums had applied, without providing details of the bids.
"The evaluation of applications follows in accordance with EBRD criteria relating to legal and financial capabilities, proven experience in similar projects, compliance with internationally recognized environmental, social, health and safety standards," Monteput announced at the end of June last year.
A few days before the end of the pre-qualification tender, the then Minister of Transport and Maritime Affairs, Filip Radulović, and the Minister of Finance, Novica Vuković, had a meeting with a delegation from the Chinese CRBC.
"I am pleased that Chinese companies want to build the second section of the highway from Mateševo to Andrijevica. I am sure that in a transparent public procedure, which will be conducted according to EBRD rules, we will get a contractor who will be up to the task," Radulović said at the time.
Vuković stated that Montenegro needs investors such as CRBC.
"The largest investment we have had in our country is the construction of the first section of the highway from Smokovac to Mateševo. Also, cooperation with the Chinese EXIM Bank was extremely important to us," said Vuković.
Will the “krampa tick” in 2026?
After the completion of the pre-qualification tender, the EBRD was supposed to select contractors who met the criteria in order to launch the main tender for the design and construction of this section, where they would then offer prices and conditions for the construction of this section.
The Government previously expected that the contractor would be selected by the end of 2024, and then in early 2025. The plan was to complete the final design in 2025 and begin preparatory work, and the main work in 2026. The section was expected to be completed by 2030.
One of the leaders of the Coalition for the Future, Milan Knežević, spoke about the problems with the tender for this section of the highway in the Parliament yesterday, asking the Minister of Finance whether and when there will be a continuation of the second section of the highway.
He pointed out that Prime Minister Milojko Spajić announced the first shovel in September last year, but that he fears that the pickaxe will not be used in 2026 either, because the EBRD and the European Commission have requested the cancellation of the pre-qualification tender and the move to the main one.
"The extension of the procedures without a clear analysis of what can be expected from the fact that the Chinese, Turks and Azerbaijanis applied for the pre-qualification tender. When this tender is cancelled, then those who were not in that tender will also be able to apply. This concerns me greatly, although I want a strong partnership with the EBRD. Mr. Vuković, you owe it to Spajić and the director of Monteput to obtain clear information about what the EBRD and EC's projection is regarding the second section, which costs 530 million euros. If this goes the way I see it, I believe that we as a state must seek alternatives in the event that the EBRD and the EC postpone taking the shovel out of Spajić's car with a new extension, which he should kick off the start of work. Is it the creation of a domestic consortium where 'Bemax' would not be privileged, an arrangement through privatization or sale of the Port of Bar, concession issuance, this should be proposed by the profession, the Government and all those who are carrying out the project," said Knežević.
And for another delay, 300 million reasons
The previous plan of the Spajić government, when it was elected at the end of 2023, was to build this section from its own funds, and at that time it was planned that work would begin in September 2024.
However, in March 2024, the EU announced that the EC would approve a grant of 100 million and the EBRD a soft loan of 200 million.
Spajić then stated that the Government has 300 million reasons to postpone the start of construction in order to save money.
As "Vijesti" wrote at the end of last year, the pre-tender documentation for the design and construction of this section planned that the design would last one year, and the construction four years.
As the signing of the contract was planned for the first quarter of this year, this meant that the main project could only be completed in early 2026, after which construction could begin and last until 2030. Now all of these deadlines will be further postponed, as the contractor could only be selected in the middle or end of this year.
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