With the construction of the former Delta and the adoption of certain decisions by the previous municipal authorities, the center of Podgorica died, despite the fact that the capital city owns 570 business premises.
If the parking lots had remained intact during the construction of Independence Square, the city would have lived, the acting director of the Agency for Construction and Development of Podgorica told "Vijesti" Dragan Senic.
He pointed out that the Agency owns 202 business premises, and that they want to revitalize the city center.
"You know the mentality of our people, that they want to come in their cars to buy something, visit bars..." he said.
Commission formed
He emphasized that the Agency for Construction and Development of Podgorica has initiated the procedure to determine the basis on which business premises were allocated in Podgorica.
"In what way were they given to management. All that must be put in order. This also applies to those 300 municipal apartments. We have all the locations of those apartments and all business premises, as well as the garage," said Senić.
As he claims, a commission has been formed that will deal with that issue and that will come out with accurate data at the right time.
"I wouldn't want to accuse anyone of getting an apartment against the law, but I wonder if they got an apartment regularly, why they didn't transfer it to themselves. The apartments are located on the capital. The same applies to 84 garages, of which 43 garages do not exist on the field," explained Senić.
There are no utility bills
He pointed out that he raised the issue of unpaid bills for water, electricity and other utilities.
"You know it was a law from 2008, during the time of the minister Branimir Gvozdenović, when you could get a building permit without paying utilities. You have around 3.500.000 euros of unpaid utilities for legal entities and physical entities. We asked for addresses from the Ministry of the Interior (MUP), and what we have received so far, we have sent to everyone to contact the Secretariat for Urban Planning and to regulate their obligations," said Senić.
He emphasized that "there is no statute of limitations", and that all citizens will have to pay utilities.
"I submitted criminal charges to the Special State Prosecutor's Office (SDT) against the persons who built residential buildings. Well, they hardly built those buildings, took millions, but illegally built floors. Everyone has to bear responsibility for that," Senić pointed out.
"I am a man of profession, not politics"
He reminded that "anyone who does not work according to a public invitation will bear the consequences", and that contractual obligations must be respected.
Mayor of Podgorica Olivera Injac she said earlier that the management of the Agency for Construction and Development of Podgorica did not show good results in the last few months, and that is why they did not get the consent of the majority to go with Senić's full mandate. The reason for such a judgment is, as Injac pointed out, the low realization of the capital budget.
Senić, answering the question of "Vijesti", emphasized that "he is a man of profession, not politics". He pointed out that the Agency has completed all planned projects.
"The most professional staff of this city works here. A lot of quality engineers work here. We are not exactly people who do not know the profession. We had to prepare all the projects according to Eurocodes in order for them to be completed. We should have announced them through public invitations, so that implementation could begin. I will not pay one cent that has not been realized. I will not give advances as was done before," Senić added.
Successfully implemented several public calls
As he told "Vijesta", the Agency announced 37 major public calls (tenders) this year.
"Many of them have been successful, unlike in previous years, when that number was about twenty, even less. We will probably end the year with 50 large public calls", explained Senić.
He pointed out that he doubled the number of "smaller" tenders compared to earlier periods.
"As for the small public calls, there are over 215 of them at the moment. Last year, it was half that. We are working intensively and it is very important to create quality projects", said Senić.
According to him, he is most proud of the new projects, for which the Agency has been waiting for years.
"I am proud of the southwest bypass project that was completed and handed over to the Traffic Authority. It is an international road that is very important for the city and the country. The project is 3.000 meters long, up to the roundabout where the 'Grand' furniture showroom is. The design price is 14.800.000 euros. Admittedly, we have a property-legal problem. Somewhere around 70.000 square meters need to be expropriated. The project, as far as the Agency is concerned, is finished", said Senić.
He emphasized that the Agency has completed the construction project of the second Nikšić bridge with the Cetinje-Nikšić roundabout.
"It was handed over to the Traffic Administration. Our bridge is clear there. We received approval for the bridge in mid-August. He has no property-legal problems", said the interlocutor of "Vijesti".
He said that he sped up the works in Vlada Martinovića Street, in the Podgorica neighborhood Drač, which, he said, was completed within a couple of months.
"I accelerated the works in Radojo Jovanović Street and Gojko Radonjić Street in Stara Varoša. We have announced a tender for Ulica Ljubović. The value of the works is 520.000 euros. As for the "Ljubović" promenade, we have a contractor. Very soon we will learn how to perform the works, just to get approval from the Government of Montenegro for one part", said Senić.
He reminded that the situation in Špira Mugoša Street was previously problematic, especially for its residents. He explained that they asked for fecal sewage to be done, so the work took longer because of that.
"At the request of the citizens, we changed the project documentation. You must know that there are caves there. This was not foreseen in the earlier project, precisely because of this situation. At the request of the citizens, however, we decided to change the project documentation. We expect that it could be completed by the end of October," said Senić.
He pointed out that the reconstruction of Veljko Vlahović Boulevard is "one of the biggest investments planned for the next six months, that is, seven months".
"The tender ends next week. We hope to have a quality performer. We put in the tender that the deadline for the works is seven months. The estimated value of the works is 4.000.000 euros including VAT. If there is someone who is a really high-quality performer, it can, realistically, be finished earlier," explained Senić.
Đečević Street, in the Podgorica neighborhood of Drač, he said, will be completed by September. Senić emphasized that the Agency is "waiting for an audit for Bulevar Pera Ćetkovića".
He said that the Agency is also working on a multi-purpose facility in Zagorič worth 3.500.000 euros including VAT.
The City Theater must not be another Music Center
Senić told "Vijesta" that he expects the City Theater, near the elementary school "Savo Pejanović" in the city center, to be completed by the end of the year.
"It is very difficult to enter such a demanding facility, which is specific in its function. We had to repeat the tenders, to introduce new people... It is very difficult to introduce someone when you have 85 percent of the work completed. At least if these works had been completed properly, it would have been much easier for us. The works must be completed properly," he said.
He also announced "decoration in the courtyard of the City Theater and around it".
"The construction of the canopy itself has been completed. Very important tests, related to strong current, have been completed so that stage technique tests could be carried out in September. As for weak electricity, we have issued a tender. We are planning to do the final works in October as far as the hall itself is concerned. We are also working on the redesign of the entrance hall. We mustn't rush. I'm sorry, I intended it to be completed as soon as possible. It must not happen that the City Theater becomes the second Music Center. I know that actors suffer and that it is the hardest for them. As difficult as it is for them, it is also for us, because we have the best intentions and the desire to put that facility into operation as soon as possible", concluded Senić.
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