Paid 1,2 million, but the Municipality of Budva does not provide confirmation

The Slovinić family invited the President of the Municipality of Budva Nikola Jovanović and the Utility Billing Service to immediately issue a certificate that they have fully paid the 1,2 million euro fee for the construction of a hotel with apartments for the market, sign a cancellation statement, submit a document to the Real Estate Administration for the purpose of canceling the mortgage, and publicly explain why the request of June 5, 2026 was not acted upon within the legal deadline.

This is stated in a public address submitted to "Vijesti", signed by the attorney of the Slovinić family, lawyer Nikola Kavedzic.

The Slovinićs have begun construction of a hotel with apartments for the market on the site of two family houses, about a hundred meters from the Old Town, and are financing the construction with the sales of the apartments. They have been waging a legal battle against the Municipality for a year, accusing its leaders of arrogance and political revenge. Construction machinery can only reach the construction site along a section of the Slovenska Obala promenade, some 50 meters long, which, as they claim, the local government has been preventing them from doing for ten months. As a result, they say, they have lost a construction season, which is why they have announced a million-dollar lawsuit against the Municipality.

Kavedžić warned that if the Municipality of Budva fails to act even after a public address, the Slovinić family will initiate all available administrative and court proceedings, demand compensation for all damage incurred, notify the competent state authorities and file criminal charges against the responsible officials - who, as he claims, have committed the criminal offense of abuse of official position or another criminal offense prosecuted ex officio by consciously failing to perform official duties.

"The competent state prosecutor's office will be required to determine who stopped the case, on whose orders, for what reasons, and whether the official position was used to cause damage to the Slovinić family or to deny them the right to which they are entitled by law. The Slovinić family is not seeking a privilege or any favor from the Municipality of Budva. It is only asking that the Municipality honor the contract it concluded, acknowledge that the claim has been collected, and enable the deletion of the mortgage that has ceased to have any purpose. Institutions exist to enforce the law, not to hold citizens hostage to the personal and political relationships of their officials."

Kavedžić emphasized that the Municipality of Budva has not acted on a proper request for issuing a certificate of paid utility bills for more than two months:

"The utilities have been paid, the Municipality's claim has ceased, and therefore the purpose of the mortgage has ceased. The Law on Administrative Procedure stipulates that the decision must be made and submitted within 30 days of the initiation of the procedure. In this specific case, that deadline has long expired. After the expiration of the legal deadline, the Slovinić family addressed the Municipality of Budva with a formal warning before filing a lawsuit. That warning did not produce any institutional reaction either. According to the information we have, the competent service prepared the necessary certificate, which was submitted to the President of the Municipality, where it is still without a signature and without a legally acceptable explanation."

He asked on what legal basis Jovanović is withholding a case in which it has been indisputably established that the citizens' obligation to the Municipality has been fully fulfilled and why the signing of the document is being refused.

"Of particular concern are the allegations and circumstances that indicate the possibility that such conduct is not based on law, but on the personal relationship of the Mayor towards members of the Slovinić family. Such circumstances, if confirmed, will require investigation before the competent state authorities. Personal, political or any other disputes must not be the reason for denying citizens the issuance of a document to which they are entitled."

He said that the Mayor is not the owner of the municipal administration, nor can he "subordinate the actions of local government bodies to his private relationships, political interests or personal animosities."

"Retaining the mortgage after the termination of the secured claim represents an encroachment on the property rights of the Slovinić family. The apartments that were encumbered by the mortgage are still listed in public records as encumbered real estate, which makes it difficult or completely impossible for the owners to sell the apartments, take out loans, provide real estate as collateral, and any other regular disposal of the property."

Spajić to react to "political revanchism"

Representatives of the Slovinić family also addressed Prime Minister Milojko Spajić, calling on him to react, but claim that they have not received a response.

"For the umpteenth time, we call on Prime Minister Spajić to react and demand an explanation from Jovanović for his failure to act and exceeding all administrative deadlines in response to our requests. It is clear even to the birds on the branch that in our case, such illegal actions by the Mayor are motivated by political revenge. Mr. Spajić, your silence is in a way an approval of such illegal behavior by Jovanović towards our family. Your mouth is full of Europe"...