The purchase of private land by the Municipality of Bar, subsidies for passage through the Sozina tunnel, financing of public companies and clubs, investments and rehabilitation of streets - this was what most interested citizens and councilors at the public debate on the rebalancing of the budget of the Municipality of Bar for 2024.
Ivana Backović, secretary of the Secretariat for Finance in the Municipality of Bar, said that the budget of the Municipality of Bar for this year, when it was adopted, amounted to 45 million and 600 thousand euros.
According to her, the main reason for rebalancing the budget is the realization of income based on interest income from utilities, in accordance with the forced collection of unpaid debt for Maljevik and based on the final judgment of the Basic Court in Bar, by which the company "Sonuba" is forced to pay the local administration approx. 19 million and 850 thousand euros as a subsequent payment for the equipment of the land in Maljevik.
"The intention of the Municipality of Bar is to invest the multi-purpose funds in the largest part in development and infrastructure projects, but to set aside funds for the payment of debts due from an earlier period as well as for subsidies to local communities, individuals, cultural and sports organizations," said Backović.
With the rebalancing, the total receipts are planned at about 64 million euros, which is about 43 percent more than planned. Expenditures are in line with receipts, so they amount to about 64 million, and as Backović said, the largest part is intended for capital projects.
The scholarships provided by the Municipality of Bar have been increased by 150 percent, so this year Bar students will have the opportunity to apply for increased amounts of scholarships, which will amount to, depending on the average grade, 200, 250 and 300 euros each.
Funds have been increased for transfers in education and for the improvement of sports and sports activities, as well as for the support and financing of companies founded by the Municipality of Bar.
By rebalancing the budget, among other things, subsidies for passing through the Sozina tunnel for residents of Crmnica, Šestan and surrounding villages were increased by 100 percent. Funds for the maintenance of public goods and facilities have been increased by almost 80 percent.
Stefan Šušter, secretary of the Secretariat for Property and Investments, speaking about the rebalancing of the capital budget, said that receipts by the end of this year are planned in the amount of 31 million 850 thousand euros, which is 850 million and XNUMX thousand euros more than planned.
Income based on communal equipment of the land will be higher by a little less than 135 percent, eight million more compared to the capital budget plan for this year. He said that the expenses have increased due to the construction of the local road network, which is the contractual obligation of the Municipality towards investors who build infrastructure projects in Bar.
Baranka Milica Mirković asked which sections of road or street are planned for construction in Šušanj this year and next. Šušter replied that the plan is to construct and rehabilitate eight streets in the Ilino settlement.
Petar Vitić from Šušanje wanted to know if the remarks and suggestions that citizens send online are read, since he sent it and stressed that he should be told that it was received, but no one answered him. He spoke on behalf of his family, which is the owner of the roads in the Green Belt, and requested that an agreement be made so that the Municipality of Bar would buy that road.
"We have never prevented anyone from using that road, but no one has contacted us or asked to buy it. We think that it would be in the interest of both parties, because there are now many foreigners living there who have neither water nor sewage, and if the state buys this road that could be solved", Vitić said.
Šuster agreed with him to organize a meeting to see what could be done about it.
Ljiljana Vujović from the NGO "Zene Bar velikoj srca", which manages the national kitchen, asked if they could hope that the possibility would be created to buy firewood for this winter for the 75 families they care for.
"The women of Bar are not able to buy two meters of wood for each family. If social welfare is covered by this plan, it is about 12 thousand euros, which means a lot to those people to get through the winter," she said and received the answer that her request would be be put up for consideration.
Radomir Novakovic, member of the Biram Bar party in the Bar assembly, asked to be told in monetary amounts how much increase in income from the Municipality of Bar will be received by public companies and fun clubs.
Novaković also asked Šušter if there is "some stronger investment" that they plan to complete by the end of the year, other than asphalting or "makeover" of the streets and other parts of Bar.
Backović replied that an increase of 78 is planned for the Cultural Center, 15 for the Radio Bar, 25 for the House of Olives, 600 for Water and Utilities, 15 for Hunting and 34 for the Sports and Recreation Center.
They earmarked 100 more for the "Mornar" sports and basketball clubs, and 130 more for other sports activities.
He then asked whether those 600 thousand more for the Bar Vodovod are intended for some water network, project or only for salaries and household consumption of that company.
Backović replied that the increase in allowance was due to the application of the new grant collective agreement for communal-housing activities and because the constant drop in the price of water caused certain losses, and the municipality of Bar, as the founder, is obliged by law to compensate those losses.
Petar Novaković from Polje said that they have been sending the same letter for two years and asked if they could propose something concrete, two or three points, that could be fulfilled so that they insist on them instead of constantly sending only a "wish list".
He agreed with Šušter to visit the village together in order to make a plan for the budget for 2025.
Other citizens spoke about the problems of greening the city, passing through the Sozina tunnel and financing of non-governmental organizations. Competent secretaries informed them that they will prepare minutes from the public discussion and see with the authorities what can be included in the rebalancing and what cannot.
The public debate was also attended by the councilor of the Democratic Party of Socialists, the councilor of GP URA as well as the clerk of the Bar Municipality Assembly and seven citizens.
An expert public hearing on the Draft Decision on Amendments to the Decision on the Budget of the Municipality of Bar for 2024 has been announced for tomorrow at noon.
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