The Higher State Prosecutor's Office is still collecting data and documentation related to the case of the sale of the former administrative building of "Barska Plovidba" to a bidder who offered a lower price and the disputed disqualification of a bidder who offered 200.000 more.
The Special State Prosecutor's Office (SDT) opened an investigation into the affair in July of this year, but at the end of September it was concluded that this case should be under the jurisdiction of the Higher Prosecutor's Office in Podgorica due to the SDT's burden with other cases and because the scope of criminal offenses they are currently dealing with has been reduced.
"A case has been opened at the Higher State Prosecutor's Office in Podgorica, which is in the investigation phase, during which all necessary measures and actions are being taken to reach a decision in the case," the Higher Prosecutor's Office told "Vijesti" when asked what is happening in relation to this investigation.
Against the director of "Barska plovidba" Boris Mihailović The SDT was charged with a criminal offence by the company “Admiral Holding”, which had made the highest bid for the purchase of the former administrative building of 1,95 million euros. They were rejected due to an alleged error in the notarial deed for the power of attorney of its employee who inspected the building. The bid of “Roaming Montenegro”, which was 200.000 euros lower, was accepted 25 days after the bids were opened. During the bid opening, the commission had no objections to the bid and documentation of “Admiral Holding”.
A dispute has also been filed before the Commercial Court regarding the disputed sale, where "Admiral Holding" is seeking a temporary ban on registering the property with "Roaming Montenegro" until the investigation is completed. In the meantime, the Bar cadastre has registered the former business building in the name of the buyer, citing the registration of the dispute, and the administration told "Vijesti" that the mere filing of a dispute cannot prevent the registration of the property in the name of the buyer, but only a final judgment.
At the end of April, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs requested the urgent sale of the property, the old office building, and the office space in Belgrade, so that "Barska plovidba" would have the money to pay the loan installment to Eksim Bank at the end of July this year and to help save the ships of "Crnogorska plovidba". The General Assembly of Shareholders of Barska plovidba then decided to publish an advertisement for the sale of this property and tasked the executive director with carrying out the procedure, which violated part of the authority of the Board of Directors.
The company "Admiral Holding" offered 1,95 million euros for a dilapidated building in the center of Bar, which has not been used for a quarter of a century, while "Roaming Montenegro" offered 1,75 million.
Legal representative of “Admiral Holding” Miloš Vukčević, before the Anti-Corruption Committee, said that according to the advertisement for the sale of the administrative building, the only condition was a higher price, and that everything else was a construction of additional conditions to reject the highest bidder. He also asked whether someone selling private property would reject an offer higher than 200.000 euros, citing some procedural reason that was not even a condition of participation.
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