The Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (ASK) has determined that the company "Mediterranean Express" from Budva, which transports passengers, violated the regulation on party financing because in 2024, during the election campaign in that city, it paid 1.000 euros to the list "Budva our city" Nikola Jovanović, while it had a contract with the Budva municipality.
ASK determined that Jovanović's list received donations of 500 euros each from "Mediterranean Express" on two occasions, on April 22 and May 9, 2024.
The Agency's decision states that on May 28, 2024, the Network for the Promotion of the Non-Governmental Sector (MANS) filed a complaint requesting that the Law on Financing Political Entities and Election Campaigns be established in violation. Specifically, Article 33, paragraph 5 of that regulation.
It stipulates that legal entities, companies and entrepreneurs who, based on contracts with competent authorities, performed tasks of public interest or concluded a contract in a public procurement procedure - in the period of two years before concluding the arrangement, during its duration, as well as two years thereafter, cannot make contributions to parties.
"The complaint states that upon reviewing the Report on Contributions from Legal Entities and Individuals to Political Entities during the Election Campaign during the Local Elections... in Budva, it was determined that the political entity 'Budva Our City - Nikola Jovanović', on April 22 and May 9, 2024, received a monetary contribution (service) from the company 'Mediteran Express' doo Budva, in the total value of 1.000 euros, despite the fact that the named legal entity, contrary to the legal restriction in the period of two years before the elections, concluded a contract in the public procurement procedure," the decision published on the ASK website states.
That institution noted that the Budva-based company was granted permission to continue its activities, which it had been carrying out under previously concluded contracts with the competent authorities, "whereas the services in question regarding granting consent relate to the period until December 31, 2023, as well as until June 30, 2024, which represents a violation of the legal provisions of Article 33, paragraph 5 of the Law on Financing Political Entities and Election Campaigns."
The ASK decision states that upon reviewing a copy of the decision of the Municipality of Budva granting consent to "Mediterranean Express" to extend the operation of transporting passengers, students and pensioners in regular, urban and suburban transport from April 21, 2023, it was determined that the company received consent to extend the operation of that business until December 31 of that year at the latest.
"And what activities did the carrier perform based on the contract on the allocation of the line... dated November 28, 2018 and the contract on the provision of transportation services for students and pensioners in regular, urban and suburban transport dated January 11, 2019," the document states.
The ASK decision also states that upon reviewing a copy of the Budva Municipality's decision dated December 29, 2023, it was determined that the carrier then received approval to extend its operations until June 30, 2024 at the latest. Elections in Budva were held on May 26, 2024.
The document published on the ASK website states that on September 27, 2024, in order to obtain data and information about the facts necessary for conducting the procedure and making decisions therein, Jovanović, as the responsible person in his list, was sent an act requesting a statement regarding the allegations in the complaint.
After the elections in May 2024, no government was formed in Budva. However, this happened after going to the polls in November of that year. Jovanović is at the head of that government.
Bonus video:
