The members of the Nikšić Municipality Assembly, with the votes of the ruling coalitions, adopted the budget for 2022 in the amount of 23,7 million euros, which is almost 200 thousand more than this year's. Opposition councilors abstained.
The Secretary of the Secretariat for Finance, Development and Entrepreneurship, Zoran Šoškić, presented the budget proposal in which the operational part is planned at 19,5 million euros, and the investment part at less than 4,2 million. The most money from the capital budget, 2,2 million, will be allocated for local infrastructure. Loans and credits for the next year are not planned, while from the Equalization Fund, instead of the planned 4,9 million euros, the funds will be less by a million and a half.
The President of the Municipality, Marko Kovačević, pointed out that the previous budget was campaign and populist, that we should not be satisfied with this either, and that every criticism is an impulse for better work of an authority, and that it is up to them not to repeat the mistakes of their predecessors.
"We managed to work within the framework in which it is not easy to function. We see that we will receive less money from the Equalization Fund, but an agreement with Belgrade will be signed, which will be worth two million. We are talking to investors, we are 'tearing' them by the sleeve. , we are solving the problem of the landfill Mislov do, the construction of the Recycling Center has been agreed upon and we will try to do the best we can", said Kovačević and added that as far as the functioning of the local administration is concerned, they can serve as a positive example for everyone, because they managed to put political differences aside and to work together for the good of the citizens.
Boris Muratović, from the club of councilors European Team for Nikšić, said that the new government "rewrote" 90 percent of the budget from the previous government, and that this is what is good in the budget, while the ten percent must be criticized.
"For sports, 40.000 less funds were allocated for sports, while fewer funds were allocated for organizing cultural events. The only place where we are 'surpassed' are transfers to cultural institutions, and that is in the part of salary planning, and that is 110 thousand euros more, probably for the recruitment of new staff , as they would say, in depth. We also have the item contracts on the work, which did not exist before, and now 155 thousand euros will be allocated for it, even though we said that there is practically no place to sit in the municipality, that we employed our staff, and now there is room for new jobs," Muratović said.
The novelty, as he pointed out, is the introduction of fees for members of the councils of public institutions, the item for official trips has also been increased, five times for those in the country, while the funds for those outside the country are twice as high.
"Allotments for youth are a serious foul of the current local government. They were reduced by 450 euros, even though we are talking about Nikšić as a city from which people are moving out," said Muratović and added that there are smaller allocations for restaurateurs, so he expects them to protest in front of the Municipality building, as they did during the previous government.
Allocations for the NGO sector have also been reduced, so he expects them to criticize this government "with vigor".
Zoran Šoškić said that the revenue side was "overwritten".
"You tried in every way to spend 3,2 million euros in a record short time. We won't bemoan what was, but there are a lot of things you wouldn't like if you saw outdated claims. The expenditure side of the budget is such that we are limited, and we depend on extreme savings, so that the Municipality could function. You were working in a populist way back in 2012, and the only thing that will not be continued on our side is the youth care project. When it comes to work contracts, all the ones you received are still working today. Those people you received in December and January, I am most proud to have signed that six young people can work. As far as social benefits are concerned, they are needs, it was written down, but you spent 65 thousand euros, and gave people up to 300 euros. We will issue a public call for the Regional Program of Local Democracy, so that the NGO sector will not be deprived on that basis. The budget cannot be developmental, but every budget since 2013 has been like this or worse," Šoškić pointed out.
Rajko Perović, from the European team for Nikšić, "thanked" the Government of Montenegro for the treatment and for placing Nikšić in third place from the bottom in terms of funds from the Equalization Fund.
"If Mr. Spajić's tsunami plan passes, Bijelo Polje and Nikšić will be the biggest losers," said Perović and added that Šoškić made a household budget, considering what he had at his disposal.
Although, as his party colleague Marko Burić said, they are aware that the budget is a measure of what is possible, they do not agree with certain things, so their club of councilors will abstain.
Ksenija Milović from the committee club "Peace is our nation" said that the plan for the development of Nikšić was presented, and that it was not a pre-election campaign and that allocations for in vitro fertilization at the expense of the Municipality should be praised.
"It took some time for Nikšić to be recognized as a base for good investments," Milović said.
Councilor Janko Milatović, from the "For the future of Nikšić" club, pointed out that nothing precisely determines the state of the city like the budget.
"I would like to praise Secretary Šoškić, because it is not easy for him. Nikšić is the biggest loser of the transition and he came to the situation of using funds from the Equalization Fund," said Milatović.
According to Anđela Peković, the Democratic councilor, the budget is not development, but rehabilitation, because the previous government spent funds indiscriminately.
"We cannot surpass our colleagues from DPS, because we work for the benefit of the citizens, not in personal interest. I believe that the budget is realistic, and the situation will improve by creating a suitable climate for investments. Every item of the budget is made for the benefit of the citizens, so our club of councilors will support the budget," Peković said.
According to Arsenij Lalatović, from the Nikšić Future Club, it is a household budget that is designed according to the given circumstances, and he believes in a more favorable business environment, new jobs and new values.
"Local administration is an expensive and cumbersome apparatus, so it should be systematized and professionalized when it comes to surplus labor. I believe that there will be a progression, which will lead to an increase in subsidies, and that the next budgets will be even better," said Lalatović.
Aleksa Kankaraš, from the SNP-UCG club, pointed out that the new government will return Nikšić to the glory it deserves and that a common language has been found for the benefit of the citizens.
Independent councilor Tanja Knežević Perišić believes that the budget had to include items intended for children, such as paying for transportation for high school students and renovating school gymnasiums, then a larger amount for a good and safe road to Vučje, and that, although she is aware that the budget is not a list wish, it would be good to find the means so that the small stadium, an iconic place in the city, is once again owned by the Municipality.
In addition to the budget, at the SO session, there were 23 other items, such as the proposal for the spatial planning program for the following year, the resolution of the housing issue of the athlete Slađana Pejović, the increase in the salary supplement of the employees of the Day Center for children with developmental disabilities and people with disabilities, the proposal for the Decision on giving the use of business premises in the building of the House of Revolution to the local public broadcaster RTV Nikšić and the Ministry of Science, the work programs of local public companies and institutions were presented.
Bonus video:
