The Minister of Maritime Affairs, Filip Radulović, the Italian Ambassador Andreina Marsella, the Croatian Ambassador Veselko Grubišić, the Director of "Barska Plovidba" Boris Mihailović and other partners gathered today at the company's premises to mark the launch of the ferry "Mia", which opened the Ancona - Durres - Bar maritime line this year.
The reception organized by the management of "Barska plovidba" was also supposed to mark the arrival of the ship "Dalmacija", which will sail from Bar to Bari this season. However, due to extraordinary circumstances and an accident on the ship "Bartol Kašić", of the Croatian "Jadrolinija", several departures on the Bar - Bari and Dubrovnik - Bari lines were canceled.
Mihailović said that departures to Bari this week and next have been canceled, and he hopes that they will be restored to their regular schedule after that.
In a conversation with reporters, Radulović said that the Government of Montenegro is working dedicatedly on expanding the maritime network.
He pointed out that upon taking office, Montenegro had no maritime lines, while now it has four – two from Bar and lines to Dubrovnik from Budva and Kotor. He assessed that this is a great success for the country, and that they are proud of these results and look forward to seeing how the situation will develop.
Commenting on the potential establishment of a Montenegrin, direct, line to Bari, which has existed for years, he said that they do not rule out the possibility of purchasing a ferry, but that their primary focus now is cooperation with "Jadrolinija".
Currently, they have a contract with the Croatian company until mid-September, and the plan, according to him, is to extend that period to six months next year.
"We will see with the Prime Minister (Milojko Spajić) and the Ministry of Finance what we can do regarding a ferry. It is not ruled out that we will enter into a purchase agreement in the near future. For now, the focus is on cooperation with 'Jadrolinija'," said Radulović.
"Kotor" in seaworthy condition next week?
In the coming days, they will finalize the criminal charges, according to Radulović, which he announced against unidentified persons for abuse of official position and negligent work in service for an extended period, and due to the condition of the ship "Kotor", stuck in the port of Savannah in the United States of America.
He said that this is extensive documentation that will be attached to the criminal complaint. They have completed, as he claims, about 80 percent of that work and expect it to be finalized in the coming days, when they will send it to the Special State Prosecutor's Office.
"I'm not going to target anyone. That's a job for the prosecution," he said. Radulović stressed that they are working to rescue the "Kotor" as soon as possible, and that it is a very complex process and that the ship is in very poor condition.
"We will have, I hope, by the end of the week a report from 'Sea Core', a neutral, independent company from Dubai, which assesses ships and the condition of ships. As soon as we have that assessment of the condition of the ships, I will of course inform the public about it," said the Minister of Maritime Affairs.
He said he hopes that by the middle of next week, "maybe," the ship will be in seaworthy condition.
Epilogue of the sale of the former "Barska" building by the end of the week
On July 12, the state-owned company "Barska plovidba" announced the sale of the former administrative building on Maršala Tita Street in Bar, and bids were submitted until June 27. "Admiral Holding" offered 1,95 million euros, and "Roaming Montenegro" 1,75 million.
The company urgently needs money because it has a $1,8 million (about 1,55 million euros) installment payment to the Chinese Exism Bank due in ten days, and it urgently needs to find at least 600 euros to save the ship "Kotor" which is trapped in the American port of Savannah.
Any postponement of this sale would mean new problems for "Barska Plovidba", but also for the ships of "Crnogorska Plovidba" that were taken over by "Barska".
The companies "Admiral Holding" and "Roaming Montenegro" are the only bidders for the purchase of the old ruined business building of Barska Plovidba, with a total area of 1.872 square meters.
"The commission has opened the bids, they are working on the evaluation and valuation of the bids. The commission has also engaged a professional, law firm because the bids have certain issues that need to be viewed from a professional and expert perspective because there is a possibility that there may be certain irregularities," said Mihailović at today's event.
They need experts, he said, to assess whether it is possible to overcome these irregularities. He expects the commission to submit its proposal by the end of the week, after which he, as authorized by the shareholders' meeting, will review the report and make a final decision.
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