Mitropolija is building 59 apartments in Budva

The Metropolis of Montenegro and the Littoral and the company Hard Discount Laković have submitted to the Ministry of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urbanism an application for the construction of the second phase of a commercial and residential complex on the property of the Sveta Petka Church in Budva, which envisages the construction of 59 apartments.

In the application that "Vijesti" had access to, it is clearly stated that it is about the construction of the second phase of a residential and commercial building, and Mitropolija and HDL are listed as investors.

Two years ago, a large one-story HDL hypermarket was built on church land next to the city chapel, as a business arrangement between that supermarket chain and the Serbian Orthodox Church. The former chief city architect of Budva Ana Samardzic in 2019 gave its consent to the conceptual design of the HDL business and shopping complex. The conceptual solution on the church land envisages two phases - one which includes the construction of a one-story business and shopping center and the second phase envisages the construction of II, III, IV and V floors with a total of 59 apartments.

In order for HDL to build a supermarket, it was necessary to complete the plot, so at the beginning of November 2018, the Municipal Assembly, by a narrow majority, gave the green light to the supermarket chain to sell 154 square meters of municipal land to them for 483 thousand euros.

Ten councilors of the then ruling coalition voted in favor of building a supermarket, six from the DF, three from Montenegro, the SNP and an independent councilor Stevan Džaković. Nine councilors were against it - seven Democrats, an independent councilwoman Dragana Vujović and councilor of URA Bozena Jelušić. Literally, the voice of one councilor prevailed to sell municipal land to HDL. Previously, HDL bought some 70 square meters from private individuals, and agreed with the Metropolis to lease the church's 4.518 square meters of land within the Sveta Petka church complex.

By purchasing the land from the locals and the Municipality, an urban plot was formed, which was necessary to realize the project of building the first phase of the business-residential complex.

Shortly after he realized the purchase, a contract was officially concluded in front of a notary, by which Hard Discount Laković donated 558 square meters purchased from the Municipality and private individuals to the Montenegrin-Limital Metropolis, which thus became the owner of the entire land complex.

In order to start the implementation of the first phase, it was necessary to pay utilities. In 2019, the Municipality of Budva concluded a utility settlement agreement with the Metropolis of Montenegro and the Littoral and the Hard Discount Laković chain, which will pay 414 euros in cash for the construction of the first phase of a commercial-residential building on church land.

The contract was signed by the then mayor Marko Bato Carevic, until recently the head of the Utility Billing Service Ninoslav Kaluđerović, and authorized representatives of Mitropolija and HDL signed on behalf of the investor.

HDL leased church land for two decades and is an investor in the construction of a business center that will house a large supermarket and shopping center, while Mitropolija, as the owner of the land complex, appears as a signatory to the contract.

They took advantage of the possibility of a 20 percent discount, which is foreseen by the municipal decision, if the investor intends to pay the calculated fee for the development of the urban construction land immediately in the entire amount.

As stated in the contract, it is about the first phase, which provides for the construction of a building with a ground floor and a first floor, which is a total of 2.970 square meters of gross construction area, while garages and technical rooms with a total area of ​​2.134 square meters will be located in the basement. The municipal service calculated compensation for 2.970 square meters of commercial and residential space in the total amount of 517.802 euros, and with a 20 percent discount, the final amount is 414.241,68 euros.

The money from the lease goes to the construction of the temple

The Metropolis will, as it has been announced several times, direct the money from the lease for the construction of a temple dedicated to Saint Mark, which is planned to be built not far from the hypermarket, next to the church of Sveta Petka, in the place where the city chapel is now located. The construction is awaiting the development of an urban project that will include two hectares of land of the Metropolis of Montenegro and the Littoral - the property of the Church of Saint Petka on the bypass, in order to create opportunities to build the largest cathedral on the Montenegrin coast - the temple of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark.

Last year, the then Minister of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urbanism, Ratko Mitrović, informed the then mayor Marko Carević that the government department had begun the preparation of the planning document. At the beginning of April, Metropolitan Joanikije met in the Municipality of Budva with Tsarević, and the topic was the construction of the temple, that is, creating all the conditions to start it as soon as possible.