The new government in Budva, gathered around the list "Budva our city", the European Union and the Civic Movement URA with the support of the Democratic Party of Socialists, as expected, first set out to take over the Tourist Organization of Budva, which is still managed by the cadres of the former Democratic Front. Nemanja Kuljaca.
Although the other municipal enterprises, secretariats and services are still mostly in an acting state, the richest local tourism organization in Montenegro is also the most attractive target for the ruling parties to appoint their own staff. They did so the day before yesterday at the session of the Budva TO Assembly, chaired by the current mayor. Nikola Jovanovic, when a new five-member Executive Board was elected, which, after eight and a half years, once again includes members of the Democratic Party of Socialists. The Executive Board is chaired by the leader of the local SDP Mihailo Đurović, which was expected, because it was precisely this party, namely the European Alliance, that conceived its campaign in the last elections by attacking the Budva Coast Guard and the public company Morsko dobro.
What is certain, although both Jovanović and Đurović announced that they would first wait for the report of the independent auditor, is that the current director, who is also a councilor for "For the Future of Budva", Nemanja Kuljaca, even though his term of office lasts for two more years, be removed.
Once again, the citizens of Budva, as was the case when in 2017, after the fall of the DPS, the DF-Demokrata coalition dismissed the then director of the Budva TO. Jelena Radjenovic, or when the administration Marko Bata Carevica 2021, with logistical support Milo Božović dismissed the director Maja Liješević and appointed Nemanja Kuljača, to pay enormous amounts of severance pay and compensation, which amounted to tens of thousands of euros, because both directors proved in court that they had been illegally dismissed.
Kuljača has already called on the competent Ministry of Public Administration and the Ministry of Tourism to investigate the legality of the session the day before yesterday, stating that it was legal vandalism, and that his dismissal would possibly lead to a new trial and the possible payment of enormous sums.
Jovanović, on the other hand, said that the Budva TO session was legal and practically announced the certain dismissal of Kuljača, but that he would first wait for the findings of the independent auditor who should be hired by the new Executive Board.
"The tourist organization has functioned in a regime of anarchy until now, because the Executive Board did not adopt financial reports, plans, or work programs. The leadership of the Budva Tourist Organization had no legitimacy to perform this function. It was a legal obligation, the responsibility of the Budva Tourist Organization Assembly and me as president to convene a regular session and elect a new Executive Board. Unfortunately, we have a continuation of the ignorant attitude of the Budva Tourist Organization leadership towards the Budva Tourist Organization Assembly, which is the most important decision-making body in that organization. From this procedure, we can conclude that their work in the previous period was very non-transparent, I would even say illegal. The Executive Board will hire an independent auditor in the shortest possible period to audit the business, financial transactions, and submit those accounts to the Budva Tourist Organization Assembly. The new composition of the Executive Board corresponds to our vision of the organization's work in the coming period, because we are on the threshold of the summer tourist season. We have had serious accusations from non-governmental organizations and investigative journalism about the spending of enormous financial resources by the Budva Tourist Organization. "We will wait for the audit findings and, depending on what is determined, we will initiate proceedings before the competent state authorities," Jovanović emphasized.
The new President of the Executive Board, Mihailo Đurović, also states that he will wait for the audit findings, which will be used to determine who will be in the director's chair.
"It is essential to review the financial situation of the Budva Tourist Board. We know that there was no adopted work program for 2024, that it was working without a program. We need to see whether what was done was routine work or whether there were certain "skips" in spending money. It is not natural that such a financially potent local Tourist Board, with revenues of around five million euros, is drowning in debt, having no money to pay employees' salaries, let alone for what is its responsibility - the promotion of tourism, events. In relation to the findings of the review, it is certain that the competent authorities of the Tourist Board will decide and determine the future leadership of the company," said Đurović.
Director of the Budva Municipal Council, Nemanja Kuljača, tells "Vijesti" that the entire senselessness of the actions of the new leadership in the Budva Municipality is reflected precisely in the attitude towards some of the members of the Assembly, which, in his words, was illegal from its scheduling to the making of all decisions.
"As part of our local government and still one of the leaders, I take this opportunity to apologize not only to those whom they wanted to belittle because they disagree with the new leadership and lawlessness, but also to all those who were deceived into participating in the illegally convened and organized Assembly of the Budva TO, but also because they witnessed a new arrogance. Never in Budva have we faced such a great dose of arrogance and ignoring laws and regulations as is the case in the period when the local government, in one way or another, is led by the current president of the Budva Municipality," he said.
"Vijesti" confirmed that the Budva TO called on the competent authorities, especially the Ministry of Public Administration and the Ministry of Tourism, asking them to act urgently and prevent the legal vandalism carried out by the new president of the Budva Municipality and his team, and to urgently enable the legal work of this organization, all with the aim of adequately preparing for the upcoming season.
It is not yet known which political option will be chosen as the director of the Budva TO, but as "Vijesti" has learned, Jovanović is firm in his stance that his staff should lead the organization.
The TO was not invited to prepare decisions, nor did it participate in the work
Kuljača emphasized that the public heard a number of untruths at the session of the Budva Tourist Organization Assembly, the biggest of which was that the Tourist Organization of the Budva Municipality submitted documents and participated in the work without wanting to send its representatives.
He claims that the members of the local government were appointed illegally, that the election of the representative of the tourist resort was illegal, and that a series of other illegal actions were committed with the intention of introducing the Budva TO into a total state of lawlessness.
"The Budva TO was not invited, did not participate in the work or prepare decisions, and was only informed about it on Friday, without an agenda or consideration of any details of such an assembly," concluded the director of the Budva TO.
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