Yes, I opened a restaurant, but it's as if I didn't. For who? When no one can come because, simply, there is no access, complains Šazi Nimanbegović, the owner of the restaurant Teuta in the Old Town of Ulcinj.
He is one of more than ten restaurant owners in the Old Town, who this year is also anxiously awaiting the season from which he lives and feeds his family - last year there was almost no work due to the corona virus pandemic, and this year the late reconstruction of the ancient cobblestones, which was supposed to to be completed in March..
"The situation is catastrophic, we don't know what to do. There is mud around us, there are also canals... We are powerless, nobody is doing anything," Nimanbegović told "Vijesti".
Of the four hotels within the ancient walls, only the Palazzo Venezia has opened its gates to guests despite the season being upon us. The owner of the Palace, Gani Resulbegović, says that he is seriously considering sharing the fate of other hoteliers.
"Maybe I will close, I will see more because these are not normal working conditions. Where are now numerous NGOs and the civil sector, intellectuals and the elite to raise their voices against all that they are doing to the Old Town", he says with indignation.
About 50 households are in the same situation, which also depends on the season.
The president of the Society of Friends of the Old Town "Kaljaja" Ismet Karamanaga points out that the rutted streets have been disrupting the normal life of the Old Town residents for months, endangering their existential issue as well.
"It is an unprofessional, inhumane and inhumane attitude towards the Old Town as a category I cultural monument. And everyone is responsible, without exception, from the ministry, through the municipality, to contractors and subcontractors," said Karamanaga.
He stated that even the locals are having a hard time coping with the excavations, let alone tourists.
"We have no illusions that the cobblestones can be finished before the season. That's why we will ask them to install a few centimeters of concrete as a temporary solution, so that we don't have fungus and dust. I don't know why all this is happening to us, but the ministry, which is an investor, must know that today we have 500 empty beds, and they are of the highest category," said Karamanaga.
Two months ago, in a letter to the Ministry of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urbanism, which he says he delivered to all relevant addresses in the country, Resulbegović warned of the consequences of delaying the works.
"As someone who passes through these streets every day and follows the execution of works, I would like to point out to you, as the client of the works, that I am of the opinion that at this pace they cannot be completed within the stipulated time, under any circumstances. In this way, our already uncertain existence is threatened, only now not because of the overall situation, but because of the irresponsible contractors that you hired," wrote Resulbegović.
He reminded that with the contract on public procurement, the ministry concluded the contract with "Montal DSD" Podgorica and "Ramel" DOO from Nikšić on December 19, 2017 and noted that the works should have been completed within four months from the start of execution.
"The works were supposed to start in December last year and be completed in March of this year. However, they were delayed and started only in January of this year, so even so, they have not yet been completed. "Contractors not only do not have enough manpower on the ground, but they keep the construction site unsecured, so that tenants fall into unearthed canals," Resulbegović wrote.
He then called on the Ministry to react urgently and ensure the presence of all competent inspections.
"In the event that you do not react urgently in an adequate manner and do not warn the contractor about serious delays and the situation on the ground, you are aware that you will be responsible, not only for the damage caused by the inability to perform economic activities, but also in the event that on such an unsecured and an untidy construction site can cause an accident to anyone," said Resulbegović at the time.
It is late due to an "unrealistic" deadline, a pandemic, bad weather...
The company "Montal" from Podgorica, which is the main contractor, told "Vijesta" that the delay in the implementation of the cobblestone installation project in the Old Town is the result of objective circumstances.
"It is true that the project stipulated that the works would be completed in four months. However, after looking at the actual situation on the ground, it was clear that the deadline was unrealistic. Why? "Because we were faced with numerous illegal installations and because the locals did not want the old stone for cobblestones, and for any other than the one foreseen, a new procedure is needed", they claim in "Montal".
They add that in addition to all that, they were faced with bad weather, a large number of holidays, and the coronavirus epidemic.
"Both in supervision and subcontractors, a lot of people were sick with the virus. These are all the objective circumstances that delay the realization of the project".
The company did not respond to the question of when the work can be expected to end.
"Soon, the sandstone requested by the locals will be delivered. Our goal as contractors is for everyone to be satisfied. After all, it is the Old Town," said the company "Montal".
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