The Arab billionaire's company "Eagle Hills" (EH) Mohamed Alabara is preparing two bathing areas on Velika Plaza for the upcoming season, which they will soon put into operation, but due to the late conclusion of the lease agreement with the Public Company for Coastal Zone Management and the limited time frame, the real results will be visible during the following summer.
This is how the company officially answered the questions of "Vijesti" about whether and when the "Tropikana" and "Imperial" beaches, which "Eagle Hills" won in the Coastal State tender, will be functional and serve as an example to others, as Alabar promised.
Last weekend, a reporter from "Vijesti" visited the "Tropikana" and "Imperijal" beaches, which will be managed by Alabaro's company in the coming period. The beaches were unkempt, without deck chairs, paths, observation posts, safety buoys at sea and lifeguards...
In the Coastal Zone Authority tender in March, the company “Eagle Hills” competed for 19 beaches on Velika Plaza. It offered the highest amounts of money for nine beaches, but withdrew from seven in mid-June because the previous tenants, who were second-ranked, agreed to pay the company's bank guarantees.
The beaches "Adriatica", "Havana", "Safari", "Saranda", "Hills", "Coral" and "Mykonos" are now almost ready to welcome guests, despite months of uncertainty about whether EH will give up on them or not.
EH emphasized that Morsko dobro declared that company the best bidder for two beach locations, in full compliance with the legally prescribed deadlines after the opening of bids.
"The public call provided all participants with the right to appeal the decision of the first-instance commission if they were not satisfied with the outcome. In this case, some bidders who were not selected exercised this right, which led to a review by the second-instance commission - the competent body for resolving such complaints. The commission conducted oral hearings and then made its final decision. Only after the completion of this process and in accordance with the legal deadlines for submitting and responding to appeals, Morsko dobro sent an official invitation to EH to sign the lease agreement," EH's response states.
It is emphasized that every step in the process required strict adherence to regulatory deadlines.
"Accordingly, in order to ensure the legality of the process, additional time was necessary. As a result, the lease agreement between EH and Morski dobro was concluded in June, which directly affected the deadlines for the start of activities and obtaining the necessary permits for certain beach locations," the company said.
As this is particularly pronounced in the case of new tenants, it is added, the limited time frame significantly affected the ability to fully equip and prepare the beaches for operation.
"It is important to understand that beach management does not only involve placing sun loungers and parasols. It is also necessary to go through additional stages of obtaining the necessary permits and approvals, in accordance with the applicable laws of Montenegro. In this regard, we assure you that EH is doing everything in its power to fulfill its obligations under the signed lease agreements, as well as to fully comply with the legal regulations of Montenegro. We believe that the most accurate and fair answer to the question of whether and when the beaches will be renovated and set an example for others will be available soon, and will be especially visible during the upcoming summer season," EH claims.
EH did not directly answer the question of whether it was true that the company was forced to take over the two beaches because one of the second-ranked bidders refused to pay the guarantees, while the other did not submit the necessary documentation, but they confirmed that some negotiations did not yield results.
"It would not be fair to the other participants in this process to comment on issues that do not relate exclusively to EH MNE. However, it is fair to say that certain discussions between the parties were attempted, but were ultimately unsuccessful. What we can say is that we are honored that our company will manage these beaches in the coming period, and that we will do our best to contribute additional value to the tourism offer of Montenegro - especially the city of Ulcinj, which already abounds in natural beauty and cultural landmarks. Our goal is to make this city even more recognizable through the quality of our work," the response reads.
It was previously confirmed in Morski dobro that the tender procedure was conducted entirely legally and transparently, without unrealistically high or fictitious bids submitted.
"This has fulfilled all the conditions for, in the event of the first-placed bidder withdrawing, to proceed smoothly with the conclusion of the contract with the second-ranked participants. At the same time, the procedure for activating the bank guarantees submitted by the Eagle Hills company, in the total amount of approximately 600.000 euros, will be initiated, thus ensuring the protection of the public interest and responsible management of state resources," the PE stated at the time.
According to information from "Vijesti", guarantees for certain beaches amounted to over 100 thousand euros.
In mid-May, Alabar admitted that he had made a mistake by applying for the tender for the lease of beaches in Ulcinj, but he also explained his reasons for such a decision.
"I wanted to get a swimming area on Velika Plaza to show the public how that space could be developed," the Arab investor said at the time in an interview with Newsmax Balkans television.
He also explained that after harsh public reactions, he decided to return the seven swimming pools that he had previously won in a tender in March.
However, instead of one, Alabar received two swimming pools because the second-ranked bid for "Imperial" was not complete, so it was not even considered.
No concrete answer about refund of guarantees
The company avoided directly answering the question of whether it was true that, as a sign of goodwill, they had returned half of the guarantees to the previous tenants for the remaining seven beaches.
“EH MNE remains committed to continuing to support all communities within its capabilities. We thank all stakeholders for their constructive cooperation, including previous tenants. We attach great importance to building strong and lasting relationships with local communities and partners. EH MNE is committed to supporting initiatives through which it can significantly contribute to the well-being of the local population and the development of the local economy,” the company said.
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