The fate of the house of Marić in Kolašin, almost a year after the decision of the Administration for the Protection of Cultural Property established its status as an immovable cultural property of local importance, is still uncertain.
As in all past years, the local administration is once again in doubt as to what to do with the building, which, in the meantime, has been additionally damaged by the storm, so now it is an even greater danger for the surrounding buildings and passers-by.
Future activities around that facility was one of the topics at the last session of the local administration, initiated by the conclusion proposed by the councilor of the ruling majority. Miodrag Vlahović (GP URA). From that conclusion, it is clear that one of the real possibilities is the removal of the house of the old Kolašin merchants Marić, built at the beginning of the last century.
Vlahović is from the President of the Municipality Petka Bakić asked to advocate for "urgent assessment and decision-making and urgent measures to rehabilitate the building or, ultimately, its removal".
"One of the more visible pain points in the center of Kolašin is the abandoned building in Boška Rašoviča Street, the former house of the distinguished Marić family, which was once the building of the Basic Court in the past. Considering that the current condition of the building is very bad, especially after the earthquake that just happened, this building, unfortunately, represents a danger for passers-by. It is necessary to urgently carry out an assessment and make a decision and urgently take measures to rehabilitate the building or, ultimately, to remove it. This needs to be limited in time in order to speed up the process as much as possible," Vlahović wrote.
As he explains, "the worst option is what has been happening in recent years, so the building is collapsing on its own and endangering safety more and more". Vlahović suggested to Bakić that he "urgently contact the line ministry and find a solution through the urgent procedure."
The President of the Municipality agreed with the proposal of his colleague from the ruling majority.
When in May of last year the Administration for the Protection of Cultural Property passed a decision on the protection of that building, it seemed that there was hope for one of the most beautiful and oldest houses in Kolašin, whose architectural value has been officially confirmed several times. However, they soon left the Municipality, during the mandate of Bakić's predecessor Vladimir Martinović, complained about that decision. In this way, as the councilor of the Movement claims, we are building Kolašin together (DPS, SDP, SD and non-party figures). Marta Šćepanović, the protection process stopped, so the house could not even be declared a cultural asset. She recalled that the relevant Ministry had annulled the previous decision on the demolition of that building.
"You have been in power for two years and what have you done? Not only did you do nothing, you sabotaged the protection process. The property protection procedure should have been carried out, so that the Municipality could implement urgent rehabilitation measures. Not to demolish it, but to restore it, and we could only do that when it was declared a cultural asset. When that work was nearing its end, the former president filed an appeal against the decision of the Administration", Šćepanović told the ruling majority.
Stopping the protection process has been questioned several times by the "Green Kolašin" Initiative.
In June 2022, the Society of Friends of Kolašina, on the initiative of the Administration for the Protection of Cultural Properties of Montenegro, requested that a procedure be initiated to determine the cultural and historical value of that building, built in 1908 as a business house of the brothers of the Marić family and built in imitation of similar buildings in Trieste and Vienna. The association of friends of Kolašin in that work received the support of the Municipality, headed by Šćepanović at the time.
The Marić brothers had several houses in Kolašin. Only one remained after the Second World War, while the others were destroyed in the German bombing in 1943 and 1944. It was confiscated in 1946, after which it housed the District Court and the Public Prosecutor's Office. Fifteen years ago, the Municipality sold to a private company. After the bankruptcy of that company, the house is now the property of creditors.
When in May of last year the Administration for the Protection of Cultural Property passed a decision on the protection of that building, it seemed that there was hope for one of the most beautiful and oldest houses in Kolašin, whose architectural value has been officially confirmed several times. But soon, during the mandate of Bakić's predecessor, Vladimir Martinović, the Municipality complained about that decision
Fifteen years ago, the Municipality sold to a private company. After the bankruptcy of that company, the house is now the property of creditors.
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