The dominant influence on the formation of water prices for the following year was the adoption and application of the Branch Collective Agreement, which the Kolašin Water Supply and Sewerage could not influence, said the executive director of that company, Miloš Peković.
He explained in response to the announcement of the Municipal Committee of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) that the new price of water depended on several other factors. According to Peković, a significant influence on the current price increase was, among other things, "unprofessional, unscrupulous and irresponsible management of the company in the previous mandate, while DPS was in power".
The Executive Director of Water and Sewerage explains that a very significant factor in the formation of the new water price is "the legal regulation of the abolition of double pricing, that is, the equalization of the price of water for individuals and legal entities in 2025".
"To further clarify, the price of water for legal entities in 2018, when you came to power, was a record 1,49 per cubic meter, while for physical water it was 0,49 euros. For example, the price of water for legal entities now it is 0,85, while for natural persons it is 0,45 euros. Although the then management of Vodovod i Kanalizacija doo was obliged to set the price of water on an annual basis, that is, to "approximate" the price of water for individuals and legal entities, in such a way that, from year to year, the price of water for legal entities would decrease by certain amount, and the price of water for natural persons increased imperceptibly. If that were the case, they wouldn't have a drastic gap between the two prices this year. By not harmonizing the prices, however, we entered the zone of liability," Peković told DPS.
As he said, "losses on the network also have a certain influence on the price of water", which, as he claims, was not done in the previous mandate. Peković explains that "it was not possible to work, because the "heart" of a water company - technical service, did not even exist". According to him, at that time they were hiring plumbers from other cities.
"Irresponsible, unprofessional and unscrupulous operations of the previous management resulted in lawsuits by more than 15 employees, due to non-compliance and non-application of the branch collective agreement on wages. Also, during that period, the number of employees was increased, so according to the systematization of jobs, there are two sector heads for one employee. All that indolence and, above all, ignorance came to be paid for, unfortunately, at the expense of all citizens. It is important to note that the price of a cubic meter of water since 2011 has been higher than today," says the executive director of Kolašin's Water and Sewerage.
He claims that the new water price was determined "in full compliance with the law and in a transparent manner." He reminds that on the website of the Regulatory Agency for Energy and Regulated Utilities (REGAGEN), in July, when the prices for the following year were proposed, a call for a public hearing was published. After the approval of the prices by REGAGEN and the Management Board of the company, as Peković says, the proposal of the price list was sent to the parliamentary service for further processing.
"Also, the prices have been properly published on the website of the Municipality and the invitation for a public discussion has been published. I am reminding you of all this because the period of the former management was a period of "closed doors" for citizens and a period of non-transparency, while now the door is wide open for all citizens, for all criticism, for all advice, suggestions, because this is the period of transparent work of the company. . However, not a single proposal, suggestion or criticism came from the experts, "hidden behind the announcement of the party headquarters", said Peković.
In the announcement of OO DPS, he explains, "through the assertion that the economy is at risk due to the increase in water prices, ignorance and incompetence have been shown." Peković says that the price of water "is at a historic minimum for legal entities, compared to the "record" from the period of DPS management". According to him, in that sense "for the first time, a favorable business environment was created in the city".
"I am proud, because the technical service is now "the heart of the company and in a high-quality and efficient manner, in less than a year and a half, it eliminated 400 faults on the network. .I am proud that last year a complete infrastructure was built in two streets, that a new reservoir was put into operation, that we are actively preparing project documentation to reduce losses on the network. I am proud that the company, for two years, respects the legal framework, operates positively and makes a profit", says the executive director of the company Vodovod i kanalizacije.
According to his words, the current management of that company invites all citizens to "state their problems, make suggestions", which, he hopes, will certainly be respected and accepted. Peković called on "all those who hide behind party announcements to come personally, be a constructive collaborator, and less to deal with collecting cheap political points".
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