Digitization in Montenegro will most likely not start in the foreseeable future, because the two transmitters for Lovćen and Bjelasica, which according to the plan of the Italian Eurotel should have been delivered and installed by the end of this month, have not passed technical acceptance.
"Technical defects were observed, i.e. that everything was not arranged according to the technical specification. Those shortcomings were noted in the minutes signed by both parties, Eurotel and our representatives", Slobodan Stanišić, president of the Board of Directors of the Radio Broadcasting Center (RDC), said briefly to "Vijesti".
In addition to the fact that the transmitters were not made according to the project, that is, as "Vijesti" found out, they were not assembled as a whole, and some of their parts did not work, as was announced, Eurotel did not submit the technical documentation to the RDC, which is a condition for the completion of the second phase, that is, the complete digitization.
The delegation of the European Commission (EC) in Podgorica entrusted the digitization of Montenegrin broadcasting to the Italian Eurotel, which is financing the first phase with 1,6 million euros, which should cover 65 percent of the population. Another 10 percent of the population should be covered by the second phase, to be paid for by the Government.
After the news brought from Milan by the RDC experts, who were at Eurotel for the technical reception of two transmitters, it becomes clear that the digitalization cannot even theoretically be completed by the end of the year, when analog technology was planned to be turned off.
Several tender participants reacted to the choice of Eurotel by saying that a company with no experience in this business was chosen. That the criticism made sense became clear before the New Year when EC Eurotel extended the deadline for the completion of the first phase from February to mid-June.
Now the completion will be postponed at least for a few more months, because Eurotel still has a lot of work to do, since practically nothing has been done. The Italians should first eliminate the observed technical deficiencies, repeat the technical acceptance and in the meantime complete the technical documentation for the second phase. And for all that, as experts in this field claim, it takes time.
Although they don't like the fact that digitization is not moving for months in the Government and RDC, they only grumble because the EC chooses the contractor, gives the money and sets the deadlines
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