The newly opened luxury hotel "Merit starlit hotel & residence" near the Old Town has installed two ramps on the approach road to its facility, replacing the metal steps that were previously there to prevent the movement of vehicles, except for specialized ones, on the road that connects Mediteranska Street with the promenade Slovenian coast.
The procedure of "Merit Montenegro", which has a chain of hotels in Europe, was strongly condemned by the former assistant secretary for asset protection of the municipality of Budva. Đorđe Zenović who claims that the hotel company thus usurped the public road, and called on the municipal Municipal Police and the Municipal Inspection to react and remove the improperly placed ramps.
On the other hand, "Merit Montenegro" points out that the ramps are a temporary solution, and that only the steps were replaced with ramps in order to make it easier to function, because it is a road that is not used for vehicle traffic, except for the emergency passage of fire engines and emergency vehicles. help... They stated that a request for the use of the road for the access to the hotel was submitted to the Municipality, which is also provided for in the planning document of the DUP "Budva Center"
"Merit Montenegro" is a company that, as a partner of the company "Zeta film" of the late businessman from Nikšić Bran Mićunović, completed and recently opened a twelve-story condo hotel near the Old Town, and access by car through the street that connects Mediteranska and the promenade is only possible for hotel guests.
Zenović points out that even a few months ago, when there was a current affair that he initiated regarding the usurpation of the yard of the "Ljubica Jovanović Maše" kindergarten, not far from that hotel, he warned about the illegal occupation of a public road in the city center, to which no one reacted.
"It seems that there were no reactions from the competent authorities of the Municipality, nor from the competent inspection authorities. Namely, cadastral plot 2419/1 KO Budva, real estate list number 317, is a plot that is owned by the state, and the disposition is in favor of the Municipality. The plot is listed as a public road in the real estate register, and that public road served as part of the public parking lot at the former "Zeta film" until the beginning of the construction of the "Merit Starlit" building. "We are now witnesses that the company "Merit Montenegro", which manages the building on the neighboring plot, has illegally fenced off the public road with two ramps and regulates the entry and exit from Slovenska obala and Mediteranska streets, as well as access to its own casino and hotel," Zenović stressed. .
According to him, this is not the only case of usurpation of public space in the very center of the city.
"That's why I call on the Municipal Police and the Inspectorate to remove the ramps on the usurped public road, as well as to enable the Municipality to manage its own property. "I call on the municipality to file charges against the responsible individuals and legal entities due to the crimes committed under Articles 239, 253 and 254 of the Criminal Code," Zenović pointed out.
He also called on the Municipal Police and the Inspectorate to order the removal of the illegal warehouse and landfill from the same plot, in front of the former "Palma" cafe, which he claims is also located on public land.
"In the city center there are numerous signs of usurpation of public areas and I am afraid that, if urgent action is not taken, Budva will soon be left without even this few park areas, streets and sidewalks," concluded Zenović.
Chief of Municipal Police and Inspection Vladan Braunović He told "Vijesti" that the administrative procedure initiated by the inspector regarding the installation of these two ramps is ongoing.
From "Merit Montenegro" they point out that according to the law, they received a construction permit, as prescribed by the "DUP "Budva center", which provides for the access road to the hotel. They note that they paid 790 euros to the municipality for utilities, and that they themselves financed the repair of the road in front of the hotel, so that high-paying guests who come to the hotel every day could reach the facility.
We did not devastate, but improved, the street was not for traffic before
"Merit Montenegro" states that in 2023 they turned to the Municipality for the repair of the access road, in order to bring it to a functional state.
"At the time, we stated in the request that the road is necessary for the functioning of a high-category hotel. We received an answer that the Municipality will include road repair in its investment plans in the coming period. Then we told them that we are ready to donate the project and revision in accordance with the DUP, just so that the only approach to the hotel can be made as soon as possible. We remind you that in the existing place where the ramp was now, there were three posts that had a padlock and had to be manually removed in order for the fire department, ambulance vehicles, official vehicles to pass... The street and the parking lot were devastated. We rehabilitated the road, and instead of the bollards, we temporarily installed a ramp in order to provide access to the hotel, as well as to the Old Town. Imagine if there were steps left, a person would have to stand in that position 24 hours a day and remove the padlock so that the guests can get to the hotel, or the fire engines can pass by," the hotel company pointed out, noting that they have their own garage in the basement of the hotel where they have enough parking. places, and that vehicles do not stay in front of the hotel for more than a few minutes, but only bring the guest and leave, and that there are no parked vehicles on the street.
According to them, they did not devastate anything, but provided a corridor for the passage of pedestrians who used this street before.
"The ramp was put in place as a temporary solution, until the Municipality, in accordance with the detailed urban plan, arranges the regime, taking into account the fact that it is the only access road to the newly built five-star hotel. The street has never been used for traffic before, so movement has always been extremely limited. If the ramps were not installed, the street would certainly be abused by reckless drivers. In the meantime, we have turned to the Municipality with a request for a temporary traffic connection, which according to the DUP and the construction permit, this street is foreseen", they point out from "Merit Montenegro".
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