Alabar swimming pool opened without a permit

The Arab billionaire's "Eagle Hills" company Mohamed Alabara It has put two swimming pools on the Big Beach in Ulcinj into operation, which it has been managing since this season, although one of them does not yet have a permit to operate.

The "Tropikana" swimming pool has received a permit to operate from the competent municipal secretariat, but not the "Imperial" swimming pool, it was confirmed to "Vijesti" in the Municipality of Ulcinj.

According to information from "Vijesti", the procedure for obtaining a permit for the "Imperial" swimming pool is underway.

At the beaches of Alabaro's company, as the reporter of "Vijesti" was convinced, there are minimum conditions that are imperatively prescribed for the development by "Morsko dobro".

Both swimming pools, as confirmed to "Vijesti" in Komunalno, have concluded contracts for garbage collection, which is one of the prerequisites for obtaining an operating permit.

The delayed tender for "Morski dobr" and the subsequent appeal proceedings also caused delays in obtaining work permits, which was probably reflected in this year's modest presentation of Alabar in Ulcinj.

The bathing area lease agreement states that the lessee is obliged to respect and maintain minor communal order, which refers to cleanliness, maintenance of the bathing area and water area and placement of trash cans, to install lifeguard towers with prescribed equipment, information boards on the conditions of use of the bathing area and safety measures, showers and to hire the required number of lifeguards...

Failure to comply with these provisions constitutes a minor breach of contractual obligations, for which the tenant is issued a warning to eliminate irregularities. If the tenant repeats a minor breach of contractual obligations two or more times, this will, among other things, be considered a serious breach, which may result in a warning before the contract is terminated.

Alabaro's company previously told "Vijesti" that a "boom" should not be expected at the beaches this year, and that the results of the investment will only be visible next summer.

In the “Morski dobr” 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.

"It is important to understand that beach management does not only involve setting up sun loungers and parasols. It is also necessary to go through additional stages of obtaining the necessary permits and approvals, in accordance with the current laws of Montenegro. In this regard, we assure you that 'Eagle Hills' 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 next summer season," Alabaro's company announced a little over a month ago.

At the time, they 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 our company. 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."

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 this area can be developed," the Arab investor said at the time.

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.

The beaches "Olea", "Havana", "Safari", "Saranda", "Hills", "Coral" and "Mykonos", despite months of uncertainty about whether "Eagle Hills" would give up on them, are now at full capacity.

Peak season is coming to an end, and several swimming pools are still not operational

The Association of Beach Tenants in Ulcinj informed "Vijesti" that the "Mojito" beach on Velika Plaza, the central beach in Valdanos and part of Mala Plaza, which has six or seven tenants, are not yet operational.

Although the lease agreement for “Mojito” has been concluded, the beach is still in court, following a lawsuit by the previous tenant. The beach is mostly covered with canopies, but there are no safety buoys in the sea.

The tender for the Valdanos beach was canceled because the previous tenant offered six million euros for the lease for this year. In the annex to the 2023 contract, concluded with "Morski dobro", for the same location, the tenant paid 15.500 euros, excluding VAT.