Minister of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property Slaven Radunović announced that the first citizens will be able to move into the buildings on Velje Brdo at the end of next year or during 2027.
Commenting on Prime Minister Milojko Spajić's earlier announcements about the deadlines for this project, namely that moving in would begin in mid-2026, he said that there could be no talk of a delay, but only of a weaker estimate, and that a few months is not important for such a large project.
He said this in the Parliament, answering parliamentary questions.
Spajić announced the Velje Brdo project in September last year, ahead of the local elections in Podgorica, and it was planned as a government program to address the housing needs of citizens under favorable conditions. Radunović stated at the time that around 40.000 residents should live on Velje Brdo upon completion of the project.
"As soon as the Spatial Urban Plan of the Capital City is adopted, you can expect trucks and excavators heading towards Velje Brdo. Will there be move-ins in mid-2026? I think that will be difficult to achieve, but it is less important whether it will be three months before or half a year later, for such a large project it is irrelevant. And you should know that such projects involve a lot of documentation that has to be prepared, I would personally say that it will be in 2027. I expect the first move-ins by the end of 2026 or during 2027. I think that is extremely fast. Delays are when you waste time, but if you do everything you can then you can talk about a weaker estimate. I think a few months is not important," Radunović pointed out and added that he believes that this project will take a whole decade to work on...
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Changes to Podgorica's Urban Development Plan in the final phase
Radunović emphasized that the Velje Brdo project is about to undergo amendments to the Podgorica Urban Development Plan, which will analyze all natural and created potentials and limitations that are important for the project, define the infrastructure equipment in the project area and connections with other parts of the city and the surrounding area...
"The area covered by the Velje Brdo project will be elaborated in detail at the general development level, and the plan will determine the phasing of the implementation of the planning solution. The preparation of amendments to the Capital City's Urban Development Plan is in the final phase, namely the finalization of the report on the public discussion that was conducted," he stated, adding that amendments to the Capital City's Urban Development Plan are also being prepared for Tuzi and Zeta, and that planning solutions are also being considered from the perspective of increasing the number of residents.
He was asked about this project by Democratic Party of Socialists MP Aleksandra Vuković Kuč, who emphasized that the project was announced just before the local elections in Podgorica.
Radunović stated that it is hypocritical for someone from the opposition to ask where the planning documentation and the Spatial Plan are, given the obstructions in the Parliament.
Vuković Kuč asked Radunović if he would resign in mid-2026 and whether he would ask Spajić to do the same, because, as she claims, the word meant something in Montenegro until Spajić came to power.
"He promised us the Montenegro Business District, nothing of that. He promised a highway next to the elections in Herceg Novi, nothing of that. He promised that the highway would start in September 2024, nothing of that, he promised that by 2024, commodity reserves would be created, for the delivery of groceries, the project of a longevity state... He promised full employment, seven-hour working hours, budget savings of 300 million annually, nothing of that," said Vuković Kuč and asked why a project similar to Velje Brdo is not being built in Nikšić.
They are also correcting the PUP for Herceg Novi
The New Serbian Democracy asked what stage the adoption of the PUP for Herceg Novi is at, while Radunović stated that the delay has nothing to do with the ministry or him personally. He explained that the main problem is that the Directorate for the Protection of Cultural Heritage has many objections to the plan, 40 in total, and that he hopes the process will be completed by the end of this month or in May.
"Corrections to the plan proposal are underway in order to harmonize it with the submitted opinions. After receiving approval from the Administration, the plan proposal will be submitted to the Government," he said.
Social Democrat MP Branislav Nenezić asked whose decision was the new atlas of bathing areas to abolish all the tourist boat docks on the Bar Riviera. He stated that there are 19 registered carriers, so this is how this industry is being shut down, and only in the Municipality of Bar.
Radunović stated that these locations in Bar, which are state-owned, meaning they have a cadastral plot, are not recognized in that Municipality. He explained that the transporters' initiative was not submitted on time, so the working group did not consider it, and that such places next to the beaches pose a danger to swimmers.
He stressed that the Public Company for Coastal Zone Management is working on alternative locations for ship docking, and that they are still waiting for a response from the carriers on such a proposal. Nenezić claims that these are three locations of 15 meters each, and that there are no beaches nearby, and that he wants to know who assessed that the docks are dangerous.
Radunović pointed out that these beaches were identified by the atlas and that the danger was pointed out by the Commission in charge of these matters.
Municipalities cannot resist the pressure
The Civic Movement URA asked when the Port of Budva would be handed over to that Municipality, while Radunović explained that this had already been done in 2023, but the Municipality was not ready, so the Port was handed over to Morsko dobro.
Radunović also referred to the tenders for beach leases and stated that some of those who claimed they would stay on the street later offered three or four times the lease price.
"I see no reason to devolve something that is functioning well, in order to hand it over to municipalities that are unable to resist pressure this season. Every mayor has been in trouble because of promises they made to someone in the past...", he said.
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