The case of a planned multi-million dollar investment on a plot of land near St. Stefan eventually ended up in the hands of special prosecutors, after the case was forwarded to them by colleagues from the Supreme State Prosecutor's Office.
Back in 2007, the Budva Capital investment company bought 21.000 square meters of land in the hinterland of Kamenovo, invested 10 and planned an investment of at least another 50.000.000 euros.
After 12 years, the Government of Duško Marković agreed to urbanize that land...
Officials from the former Ministry of Economic Development in the period 2009-2010 are the alleged culprits for such a delay, according to "Vijesti" sources.
"The then leaders of the Municipality of Budva, instead of adopting an urban plan and enabling the realization of the investment, according to the oral orders of the Ministry, changed the planning documents and the purpose of the space, and there was no public discussion... New infrastructure facilities were drawn over that plot of land with the new plans," he said. "News" one of the interlocutors.
The Minister for Economic Development in 2009 was Branimir Gvozdenović, who after the election of that year assumed the position of Minister of Urban Planning.
"The criminal case you are interested in was formed based on the submission of the cabinet of the minister without portfolio in the Government of Montenegro, Zoran Miljanić, in connection with the application of the legal entity Budva Capital Investment DOO Budva, in order to establish the existence of grounds for suspicion that they are officials in the Municipality of Budva and the then Ministry of economic development committed a criminal offense within the jurisdiction of this prosecution. An investigation is underway, and the Special Police Department has been requested to collect certain data, evidence and notifications necessary for making a decision," Vukas Radonjić, the spokesman for the Special State Prosecutor's Office, replied to "News".
A month ago, Minister without portfolio Zoran Miljanić submitted to the Supreme State Prosecutor's Office the documentation on the case, which he received from the investor, in order to determine whether, due to alleged inaction and possible corruption, the investor has not been able to valorize the plot purchased in 2007. Budvi...
He also insisted that it be checked whether the investors were obstructed by the executive power during that period, whether the plans were changed to their detriment, which is why they did not realize their intentions to invest millions of euros in Montenegro.
"The documentation submitted on June 22, 6 by the minister without portfolio Zoran Miljanić, after analysis by the Supreme State Prosecutor's Office, was submitted to the jurisdiction of the Special State Prosecutor's Office on July 2023, 5. The Special State Prosecutor's Office has also received a supplement to the documentation that the minister without portfolio submitted to the Supreme State Prosecutor's Office on July 7, 2023," the Supreme State Prosecutor's Office, headed by Tatjana Begović, told News.
According to data from the Central Register of Business Entities (CRPS), Budva Capital Investment was founded in April 2007 with a total capital of 7.742.163 euros.
The Budva company was founded in 2007, when he bought the land complex above the highway from the locals, by the famous Macedonian businessman Svetozar Janevski.
Janevski is the president of the Board of Directors of the "Tikveš" winery, and he attracted the public's attention a few years ago when he leased the Belgrade Beer Industry.
According to the CRPS database, as early as 2008, the Dutch company "Rothbury Communication International BV" was registered as the founder of the company, while Janevski remains the executive director and authorized representative.
Since May 2009, the company has been joined by entertainment manager Radomir Raka Marić, who at that time organized musical spectacles in Budva - concerts by the Rolling Stones and world pop stars Madonna on Jazz, and whose engagement was insisted on by Svetozar Marović, who was in the organizing committee.
Since the end of 2011, Marić has become the company's executive director and authorized representative, Janevski is formally gone, and the mysterious Dutch company remains registered as the founder.
The last change in CRPS was made last year, and according to current data, the company is owned by Rothbury communications international BV, the executive director is Borče Ilioski, and the authorized representative is Radomir Marić.
Even a decade ago, the company was determined to build a luxury apartment complex, so the project "Harmony Condominiums Montenegro" was promoted, a complex that was supposed to be built on their plot.
The project was completed, and the sale of apartments to potential buyers was launched on one of the websites.
However, the municipality of Budva did not pass the planning document that was supposed to cover this plot and thus enable construction.
The Kamenovo area is currently one of the most attractive, because a hotel-residential complex has begun to be built in the hinterland of the beach itself, construction should also begin on the site of the former Kosovar settlement, as soon as the property relations are resolved, while a whole settlement has already sprung up above the highway itself.
In 2019, the Government of Montenegro accepted the request of the Budva company to urbanize their attractive land complex of 21 square meters above the Jadranska magistrala in the hinterland of Kamenovo beach.
The decision on the development of the Detailed Urban Plan (DUP) for the Kamenovo location was signed by Prime Minister Duško Marković at the time.
"The goal of creating the DUP for the Kamenovo location is to offer planning solutions that would create the preconditions for the realization of luxury tourist content that will ensure high-quality valorization of the space. The ultimate goal is the construction of a tourist complex that will have architectural specificity, exclusivity and an authentic offer, as well as other contents and surfaces, while protecting the existing greenery and all natural resources in this area and, in accordance with development needs, create planning prerequisites for the development of tourism, suppression of the uncontrolled expansion of settlements, preserving the identity of the settlement, improving the content of the social standard of communal infrastructure", it is stated in the decision of the Government, which "Vijesti" had access to at the time.
Miljanić: Injured investors to file reports
The minister without portfolio, responsible for the fight against corruption, Zoran Miljanić told "Vijesta" that, according to the report forwarded by VDT, the potential damage is several hundreds of millions of euros.
He pointed out that there had been reports of corruption to the detriment of foreign investments before, but that, unfortunately, there was no evidence.
Miljanić also said that he has information that even the British investor failed to realize the investment of over 60 million euros.
"It is encouraging that foreign investors have officially started to point out possible corrupt practices that took place at the top of the Montenegrin state and local self-governments," Miljanić said in a statement to "Vijesti".
He encouraged all other investors, who encountered similar problems and obstacles, to contact the competent institutions - the Government, the prosecutor's office, the police.
"And finally, those cases, which are probably a large number and involve huge numbers, be processed. In addition to this, new criminal charges were announced. Foreign diplomats pointed out that they also have information that certain investors are prevented from their intentions due to corruption at the highest level. I think that Pandora's box will be opened and that the competent authorities will have their hands full until all the cases of the previous period are resolved, which are obviously many", emphasized Miljanić.
According to him, the right way is for the injured investors to file criminal charges.
"The damage to the budget is immeasurable - we would get five-star hotels, hundreds of Montenegrin citizens would be employed, not to mention the VAT collection. On the other hand, we may end up in a situation where the state, that is, citizens pay penalties to investors because contractual obligations have not been met. The state must take this into account. I am convinced that SDT, as the authority in this case, will do everything to process this case and get a legal epilogue", concluded the minister without portfolio.
American companies also see corruption as an obstacle
Several American companies specifically highlighted corruption as an obstacle to direct investments in Montenegro, and this phenomenon is considered one of the typical obstacles that must be overcome when doing business in the country.
This is stated in the Investment Climate report, which was published last week by the State Department.
"Corruption in Montenegro is most widespread in the public procurement sector. The purchase and sale of state property takes place in a non-transparent environment with frequent accusations of bribery and cronyism," the State Department said.
The document states that the Government encourages state institutions and the private sector to establish internal codes of conduct.
“They are encouraged to have codes of ethics, as well as an obligation to have preventive integrity plans. "Montenegro is a signatory to the UN Convention against Corruption," the report says.
Bonus video:
